Just a Friend
by supergirlfan
Summary: Kara thought back to that moment on the balcony, when her whole world had shifted. The hug that changed everything. One hug, and she was addicted to Cat Grant's touch… the feel of her hands on Kara's back, the intoxicating mix of perfume and conditioner, the gentle but strong curves of her arms…
1. Chapter 1

Kara strode off the elevator, an extra bounce in her step. With a wide smile, she headed toward her new office. She couldn't wait to begin her new job, now that she'd decided what that entailed. She intended to follow in the footsteps of her mentor, Cat Grant, and become a reporter. Her first assignment, delegated by the boss herself, was to write a series of articles detailing heroic acts by citizens of National City.

Beaming, she thought back to yesterday's meeting. After she'd told Cat that she wanted to become a reporter, the mogul had nodded, as if she had expected that, and presented Kara with her first assignment. "Kara, I want you to write some feature articles about our city's 'unsung heroes'." (Kara couldn't decide whether she was more excited by the idea of an assignment that seemed right up her alley, or the fact that Cat was using her actual name.) "Supergirl has done extraordinary things during her time in National City, but her greatest accomplishment has been her ability to inspire hope and faith in all of us. She has made quite the impression on me, and I want to make it CatCo's mission to further her message. I think you would be a good candidate to provide that voice." She leveled her gaze at Kara. "What do you think?"

Kara grinned widely. This assignment was exactly the kind of thing she hoped to do as a journalist. "Ms. Grant, that sounds like a wonderful idea. Thank you for giving me this opportunity!"

Cat responded, "Kara, you've more than earned this chance. And I think CatCo can use your positive energy. Now… go find me some heroes." She shooed Kara away with a flick of the hand. Kara nodded gratefully and headed off to do some research.

(Later on, Kara would recall Cat's comments about Supergirl, and how it echoed an earlier comment – "You've made quite the impression on me too, Kiera." But she was probably reading too much into a few words.)

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Kara's smile at the memory was interrupted by an emphatic yawn, reminding her that other parts of her life were not so sunny and golden right now. She would never regret her decision to come out as Supergirl – the city needed her, and Kara needed to help – but right now, she felt like she was hanging on by a thread. Her decision to give her life to save the planet had simply been the latest in a series of traumatic moments, and her brain was struggling to process the events of the past few months. She had killed a man. Sure, her uncle was a homicidal maniac, and she'd had no choice, but that fact still didn't sit well with Kara. She was a murderer. That knowledge had made it easier for her to volunteer to sacrifice herself by bringing Fort Rozz into space.

Instead, she had opened her eyes to her sister's worried gaze. Alex had saved her. Again. She was left trying to process all that had happened, coming to peace with her own mortality and then discovering she was alive, and found herself missing Krypton more than ever. Kara felt like an imposter – living on a planet that wasn't hers, and living a life she hadn't expected to be around for. A small part of her wished she had died that night. She could have been with her family now, in Rao's light. The rest of her felt incredibly guilty for thinking that way, especially after all Alex had done to rescue her.

Her mind flashed back to the past two nights, which she had spent lying awake rather than falling prey to the ever-present nightmares. They had amplified in intensity since Myriad had threatened to destroy her second planet in twenty-five years (give or take a few semi-conscious decades in the Phantom Zone). The experience brought back so many memories of Krypton. Visions of her parents saying goodbye and watching her home planet explode had haunted her dreams for years, but suddenly they were more frequent and intense.

Newer visions had entered her nightmares as well. She saw Alex's eyes, hurt and shining with tears, as she ridiculed her sister during her Red Kryptonite haze. She saw the look of panic and betrayal on Cat's face as Kara flung her off the balcony. She saw her long-lost aunt Astra dying in her arms, and Alex's devastated pleas when she begged Kara to forgive her. She watched Non's glowing eyes fading as the life left his body, leaving a burnt, sizzling corpse on the ground. She cringed, again and again, as Alex attacked her with Kryptonite weapons. She watched as her three friends jumped from the CatCo building, and was never able to save them all, no matter how quickly she moved.

Every time she closed her eyes, Kara experienced these horrors all over again. She woke up screaming, or crying, or simply shaking in fear. So she stayed awake. At first, she spent time flying around the city, but she was afraid she'd wear herself down too much. After a couple of hours, she ended up back in her bed, memorizing the cracks in her ceiling.

Fortunately, Kara didn't need as much sleep as humans do, but even the Kryptonian was running low on energy. Kara knew that she would need to sleep tonight. "I'll deal with that later. I'll figure it out. I just have to keep myself busy," she murmured. "Maybe get out in the sun." She entered her windowless office, frowning. "Probably not a good idea to sit in here all day."

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Just as she was pulling out her chair to sit down, James poked his head in. "Good morning, Kara." Her heart sank. Apparently, she wouldn't be avoiding this particular conversation any longer. She had been hoping to wait another day or two before talking with James about her feelings.

Kara had never been good at talking about her feelings. Part of that stemmed from necessity – there were so many parts of her life that she had to hide. But as time went on, her ability to bury her own needs became more and more ingrained. The nightmares had been worsening, in large part, because she kept everything bottled up so tightly.

Her feelings regarding James were complicated. He was a wonderful friend, a trusted confidante, and a kind and generous soul. And then there was the whole drop-dead gorgeous thing. Kara wished, so badly, that she could somehow make things work with him.

James stared at her for a minute. "Wow, Kara, you look like shit. Were you out all night? Is everything okay?" He took a couple of steps toward her, and lifted her chin gently with his hand. "Kara, you're an amazing hero, but you need to learn to say no. You have to take care of yourself too."

Kara forced herself not to wince at his touch. She knew he meant well, but ever since The Kiss two nights ago, she had been avoiding him. She wasn't prepared to have the conversation that she knew she needed to initiate. "I'm fine. Just tired."

"I worry about you, Kara," James reminded her. "I care about you." He leaned forward, his eyes on her and his mouth edging closer, moving in for a quick kiss. Kara sighed and brought a hand up to his chest, stopping him. "James," Kara began. "I can't."

He looked into her eyes, puzzlement turning into worry as he saw the pained expression on her face. "I thought…" he began. "I thought this was something we both wanted?"

"James, I did. Want that. How could I not? I definitely wanted you. I mean… not like that; I was attracted to you," Kara stuttered, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. She took a deep breath and continued. "But a lot happened during Myriad, and when you kissed me again, I realized that my feelings have changed. Or maybe I never really had those feelings, and maybe I just wanted to feel that way. But I realized it isn't fair to you. This isn't going to work. I need… I need you as a friend, if that's something you can handle. But I think that's all I can be to you. I'm so sorry."

James looked at her, confusion and disappointment clear in his eyes. "Kara, I don't understand. I thought we…" He paused, then asked, "What changed?"

Kara thought back to that moment on the balcony, when her whole world had shifted. The hug that changed everything. One hug, and she was addicted to Cat Grant's touch… the feel of her hands on Kara's back, the intoxicating mix of perfume and conditioner, the gentle but strong curves of her arms… In that moment, she'd acknowledged that her feelings for Cat extended way beyond professional boundaries. She had finally admitted to herself that her attraction to Cat Grant was far stronger than anything she could ever feel for James. And while she couldn't tell James that – it wasn't fair to him, and she wasn't ready to admit it to anyone – she could at least give him a part of the truth.

"James, I like you so much, and you're so attractive and kind and generous and thoughtful. I do have feelings for you. But I've realized that what I feel for you is never going to be enough to make this work." She paused, seeing the confusion on his face, then decided she needed to be more blunt. Like peeling off a band-aid, she thought.

"James, I'm gay." He looked up in surprise. "I mean, I guess maybe I'd be considered bisexual, but it's not, like, an equal thing, you know? I am mildly attracted to men, but it doesn't come close to how I feel about women. I like you, and I really wanted to like you. I want to be able to date you, and I want to be normal. I want to have a normal dating life. I just wish that something about me could be normal. I want so badly to make this work. But I can't deny who I am. And I can't keep lying to myself, and to you."

"But – I don't understand. You kissed me. You said you have feelings for me," James murmured.

"I do, James. But they're not the kind of feelings that are strong enough to last. It's not going to work, and I can't let you think otherwise. Please," Kara implored, "please try to understand."

He nodded, and slowly turned and headed for the door. At the doorway, he paused. "So who is it?"

Kara shook her head quickly. Her feelings were irrelevant. It's not like Cat Grant was ever going to feel the same way. Cat was straight, and rich, and powerful, and mature, and so much more than Kara would ever be. Hell, she was Cat Grant. Cat barely even knew Kara's name. Nothing would ever come of Kara's crush; she just couldn't keep lying to herself about her sexuality. "There's no one, James. It's just me." With tears in her eyes, she said, "James, I'm so sorry."

"I'm sorry too," he said quietly, stepping out of her office and closing the door gently behind him.

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Once the door closed, Kara exhaled and allowed the tears to stream down her face. She sank into her chair, muscles collapsing below her, and rested her head into her arms on the desk. She sobbed quietly, both in relief and sadness.

"Did I do the right thing?" she wondered silently. "Maybe I could've made it work, at least for a while. He likes me. I've never had a real relationship, and he's such a great guy. It would've been a relief to date someone who knows about my… heritage. Heck, it would've been a relief to date someone, period." But she knew it wouldn't be fair to him. "Damn it, why can't I ever be normal? Why can't I let myself be happy? What is wrong with me?"

The tears kept flowing – tears not just for James, but mourning Astra, and Kelly (the third jumper), and Jeremiah Danvers, and her parents, and an entire lost planet. Once they started, she just couldn't stop.

"He's better off without me, anyway," she thought. "Everyone I love gets hurt. My whole planet is dead. Jeremiah is gone because I couldn't follow the rules. Alex spends her life taking care of me, instead of living her own life. Astra is gone. I killed a man… my own uncle. Kelly died because I couldn't save her. I'm a plague. And the thought that I could have a normal, healthy relationship – well, that was a lie too."

Kara sighed. This wasn't helping anyone. "Good start to your new job, Danvers," she muttered. She needed to stay focused. She wanted to make a good first impression, and she really was excited about her first assignment. "Get your act together. Pity party is over." She took a few deep breaths, blew her nose, and got to work.


	2. Chapter 2

Kara was just finishing up a phone call with the principal of National City High School when a knock came at her door. "Come in," she called, hanging up the phone. She was surprised to see Cat Grant striding purposefully into her office.

"Ms. Grant! What are you doing here? I mean… sorry, that's a dumb question. I just didn't expect you to come to my office. Did I do something wrong? Did I miss a meeting?" Kara stammered.

Cat barely suppressed a smile at Kara's lack of composure. "Well, I do work here," she gently reminded the flustered girl. "And I was walking by, so I thought I'd stop by and give you these." She handed Kara several sheets of paper. "A few leads on possible stories."

She paused to study her former assistant, taking in the slumped shoulders, tired eyes, and a smile that didn't quite reach those eyes. Truth be told, she hadn't been walking by at all. She had purposely held these papers back yesterday, wanting an excuse to stop by this morning and see Kara. Cat told herself that she had wanted to make sure the girl was off to a good start today, but the truth was, she simply missed Kara's presence. The girl with the sunny smile and eternal optimism had gotten under her skin.

Kara's speech in her office the other day had profoundly moved her. After the events of Myriad unfolded, she learned that Kara – well, Supergirl – had volunteered to sacrifice her own life to save the planet, and that speech had been Kara's way of saying goodbye. The idea that it might easily have been the last time she saw Kara was terrifying. Had it not been for the heroics of an unknown government agent, Kara would be gone. That notion was unacceptable, unfathomable. (She wished she knew who the secret agent was, so that she could send flowers, or a few million dollars, in gratitude.) Cat needed the girl in her life. She needed… Kara's talents. At least, that's what Cat told herself.

After realizing she'd nearly lost the girl, Cat had made a decision. Kara deserved better than the way Cat had treated her. Cat had tried her hardest to push her assistant away, with cutting remarks and juvenile behavior. She'd hurt the young woman; that much was obvious. Still, Kara had done her job exceptionally well, maintaining a professional attitude and always trying to help Cat. Cat knew she had been unfair to Kara, and she vowed to make it up to her.

Right now, Cat was worried. Something was wrong with her Kara. She looked like she hadn't been sleeping – even worse, Kara's red-rimmed eyes gave an indication that she'd been crying recently. She cringed inwardly – when had the girl become "her Kara"? She was just protective of Kara, that's all. That bubbly, genuine personality left Kara vulnerable, and Cat just wanted to make sure she was okay. If she spent an extra moment admiring Kara's thin but muscular arms and stunning physique, well, she was just checking on the girl, making sure she hadn't been injured.

Kara glanced at the papers in her hand. "A doctor running a free clinic every weekend," she murmured. "A bus driver who stopped a kidnapping. These are great. Oh, and you even included the story I'm starting with, about the student who has raised $50,000 for the city's homeless shelters."

Cat nodded. "That one stood out to me too. It's inspirational to see a high school kid doing such wonderful things. And if you can get her to open up about her own experience in homeless shelters, it will make a fantastic article. Jessica seems like a great kid."

Kara smiled. "Well, of course it stood out to you. You made a pretty big contribution to her fund. The first thing anyone is talking about is how much you've helped."

Cat waved off the compliment, remarking, "Well, obviously it was a good business decision, because now they all want to talk to the CatCo reporter. Your story will be great for sales."

Kara nodded. It was so very… Cat Grant … to diminish her own contributions, and to pretend that she had ulterior motives. Cat would never admit to having a soft spot for anything, but Kara knew that she had a huge and generous heart. She had no doubt that Cat would edit out any comments about her own role in this endeavor before allowing the piece to run.

"Are you off to a good start?" Cat inquired gently. At Kara's surprised look, she backtracked. "I like to know that my employees are being productive. Are you running into any issues?"

"Oh… no, things are going fine," Kara replied, still confused by the gentle tone in Cat's voice. "I have several interviews scheduled for today."

"Good," replied Cat. "Take James Olsen with you and get some pictures of this girl." She didn't miss the wince, or the way Kara's face froze in panic at the suggestion. "Kara?" she asked gently.

"Um, I don't know if he – I think he's busy today. I'll send him tomorrow, or see if one of the other photographers can do it."

Cat stared at Kara for a moment, not buying the explanation. After a pause, she said, "All right. Good luck with the interviews."

Kara nodded, and Cat retreated toward the door. As she stepped outside, she paused. "And Kara? Give me an update before you go home tonight."

Cat walked purposefully back toward her office. She knew that if she slowed her steps, her feet would be drawn right back to Kara's office. Something was wrong, and she needed to find out what it was. After all, she couldn't have her employees distracted, could she? But perhaps now wasn't the time to ask. She would find out, however. She was Cat Grant. No one was better at digging out secrets.

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As the day wore on, Kara's story began to come together, while her body felt like it was falling apart. Kara was not used to functioning on so little sleep, and it was draining her normally endless reserves. Even the two large pizzas she inhaled at lunch time hadn't given her the boost she'd hoped for.

She had gotten one call from Alex, alerting her to a robbery in progress, but her assistance had been rather inelegant, to say the least. She landed awkwardly in front of the escaping robbers, managing to corral the two men only after one of the men landed a solid punch to her face. The fact that she felt the punch at all told her that she was running on fumes. Alex expressed concern at her slow reflexes, but Kara insisted she was fine, just distracted by her new job.

She should probably talk to Alex. Her sister – her hero – always knew the right thing to do. Maybe Alex could help her to keep the nightmares at bay. Maybe Alex could make her feel better about James. That, however, was not a conversation Kara was ready to have. She knew that Alex suspected she might be gay – Alex herself had come out years ago, and had always left the door open for conversations about Kara's own sexuality. But Kara had never been comfortable labeling herself, or talking about her own crushes. The topic of sex, frankly, made her very uncomfortable. As far as Alex knew, Kara's new relationship with James was off to a promising start, and she wasn't ready to explain to Alex why she had broken things off.

Kara was also not ready to talk with Alex about her nightmares. Alex had been so supportive, years ago, when Kara had first come to live with them. After Alex heard Kara wake up screaming one night, she had spent the next few nights curled around the Kryptonian, calming her down after each nightmare and coaxing her back to sleep. Kara quickly learned to depend upon Alex, who always knew what to do and how to help.

But Alex had her own life now, as well she should. In fact, Kara's last request of Alex, when she thought she would die bringing Fort Rozz into space, was for Alex to have the life that Kara's presence had always prevented her from having. Kara owed it to her sister to give her a little space, so that Alex could explore her own interests. And Kara didn't want Alex to know that Astra's death and Alex's attack were featuring heavily in these nightmares. How would her sister feel if she heard Kara pleading with Alex not to hurt her, or begging Astra to stay with her, and knowing that she had caused those nightmares? No, Kara couldn't put Alex through that. She would have to figure this one out on her own.

Just before 8 p.m., thoroughly exhausted, Kara returned to her office to wrap up work for the day. Knowing that Ms. Grant had asked for an update, she forwarded her notes from the interviews, and prepared to go home for the evening. Almost immediately, her office phone rang. Cat Grant's voice boomed with authority. "Kiera, when I asked you to check in, I didn't expect to read six pages of notes. I wanted a quick summary."

"I'm – I'm so sorry, Ms. Grant," Kara stuttered.

"I don't need your apology. Just come to my office and fill me in."

"Of course, Ms. Grant," Kara answered automatically, belatedly realizing she was speaking to a dial tone. She rushed to her boss's office.

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Cat had been waiting for hours to hear from Kara. The truth was, she was stalling, finding ways to keep herself occupied so that she would be around when the girl stopped by. Carter was spending the week with his father, and she was in no rush to go home to an empty house. And Kara had occupied her thoughts for much of the day, distracting her far more than she cared to admit. Kara's mid-day heroics had not calmed her fears – there was no way one of those men should have landed a punch. Something was very wrong.

As Kara approached the glass walls of Cat's office, the media mogul had a chance to examine the girl's condition. What she saw had her pursing her lips with concern. The girl was clearly exhausted, barely able to stay on her feet, and a slight bruise was blossoming around her left eye. Cat quickly moved to the couch, and gestured for Kara to sit down opposite her. She feared the girl would tire herself further trying to remain standing while they talked. She wanted Kara to be comfortable. She was going to figure out what was going on with the fledgling reporter, and she was going to help, whether Kara liked it or not.

"Ms. Grant, I'm sorry I sent you all those notes. I didn't know if you'd still be here this late, so I figured I'd wait until the morning to check in with you."

Cat shook her head. "Kara, just give me the quick version.'

"I spent several hours talking with Jessica and her family, and interviewed her teachers and friends as well. I definitely want to focus on what she's doing now, because her success has been amazing, but I think we can also use this to bring awareness to the problems of homelessness in National City. She shared a lot of stories with me about her own experiences."

Cat nodded. She had suspected that Kara would be a great interviewer. Kara's compassion and kindness always shone through, and Cat was not surprised that Jessica had opened up about her past. Kara would turn this into a captivating story of survival and hope.

"There's another angle that I'd like to explore as well," Kara continued, leaning forward eagerly. "Jessica's mother was a victim of domestic violence, and she turned to homeless shelters because she needed somewhere to go to get away from her husband. There's a story here, about this family's courage and the problems facing those who have been abused by family members. At least, I think so," Kara finished awkwardly, realizing that it was not really her decision to make.

Cat was silent for a moment, considering. "Where is the husband now?" she inquired. "Is the family in any danger?"

Kara shook her head. "Not at the moment. He was arrested; part of a botched armed robbery last year, and faces at least five years in jail."

"And the mother is willing to talk about her experiences?" Cat asked.

"She is," Kara confirmed. "She wants other women to know that there is a way out. She would like to share her story."

Cat nodded. It was a wonderful idea, with the potential to help so many. "Let's keep her anonymous, for her own safety. Who knows what will happen when her husband gets out of prison. If she knows anyone else willing to open up to us, we could make it a longer feature, highlighting a few stories and identifying the common issues." Cat paused, and then continued. "And Kara, find out what she needs. If she needs help filing divorce papers or getting a restraining order, let's hire a lawyer. If she needs a security firm, we will take care of it. If she is having trouble finding work, we can help her find a job. Let's do this right."

The smile that lit up Kara's face more than compensated for any potential costs. Cat couldn't hold back her own smile in return. "Good work, Kara," she acknowledged softly.

"Thank you, Ms. Grant," Kara replied, flummoxed. She was not surprised by her boss's generous offer, but she was shocked by the praise. Compliments from Cat Grant were few and far between. She eyed the woman warily, wondering briefly whether she'd stepped into the Twilight Zone. She knew that Ms. Grant was a genuinely wonderful person, but the sharp edges that usually masked these qualities had been thrown aside, and Kara wasn't sure why.

"Now, Kara," Cat began gently. She held the girl's gaze for a moment. "What else is going on?" she asked softly.

Kara gulped and looked around nervously. "Um, I'm – I'm not sure what you mean, Ms. Grant?"

"Kara," Cat said calmly. "You're exhausted, you haven't been sleeping, and there's a bruise on your face." At those words, Kara reflexively touched her cheekbone. "Something clearly happened with James, based on your reaction earlier, and it wasn't good." She leaned forward, meeting the girl's eyes. "So what's going on?" she implored.

She watched Kara try to figure out how to respond. The girl was clearly nervous, fidgeting and casting her eyes around the room. She could also see tears threatening to overflow, while Kara fought valiantly to keep them inside. Kara gulped, and then began, "Ms. Grant, I, um, …"

She was interrupted by the shriek of her cell phone. Glancing down, Kara sighed, "It's my sister. I'm sorry, Ms. Grant, I need a moment."

Cat nodded, content to wait the girl out.

"Alex, what's up?" Kara asked, stepping out into the bullpen.

"Are you up for one more fight today? We've got an alien a couple of blocks away from you, setting some fires."

"I'm on it, Alex." Kara closed her eyes, hoping she could summon up enough energy to complete the task. As to the conversation with Cat Grant, she knew she was in way over her head. She took a deep breath, and walked back into Cat's office. "Ms. Grant, I have to go. There's a… um… family issue."

"Criminal on the loose, Kara?" Cat asked drily.

"What? Uh – no! Um – what?"

"Kara," Cat said softly. "You're a terrible liar, and I'm tired of pretending."

"I don't know what you think, Ms. Grant, but…"

"Kara." Cat paused and looked into her eyes. Kara's stammering ground to a halt. "I know. Remember, I spent the day with your sister and adoptive mother."

"Know what?" Kara asked nervously. "I'm not sure what…"

"Go. Save the day. I'll be here when you're done."

"Ms. Grant, we need to talk about this… whatever you think you know… I'll come back soon."

"Please be careful, Kara," Ms. Grant said gently. As she watched the hero run out of the room, she headed for her liquor cabinet. She was going to need something a bit stronger than M&M's to get through this.


	3. Chapter 3

Kara flew somewhat slower than usual, sinking to the ground next to a warehouse on fire. She blew as hard as she could, putting out the fire, and felt a little lightheaded for a moment. Because the world was spinning, she didn't see the alien approach until he had punched her in the stomach.

The blow sent Supergirl careening backward into a brick wall. She slowly staggered to her feet, shaking her head at her own carelessness. She rushed the alien, grabbing him around the waist, and threw him down into the pavement. The two scuffled, trading punches until Supergirl managed to knock him out with a shot to the head. She grabbed him and flew away, rather unsteadily, to drop him at the DEO.

She didn't stop to talk, knowing that she needed to get back to CatCo as soon as possible, and hoping she'd make it there before her powers burnt out for good. So she flew back, sputtering a few times, until finally, Cat's balcony was in sight. She fell onto the balcony, took two steps, and collapsed on the outdoor couch. It was only when Cat turned and raised an eyebrow that she realized she had forgotten to change back into Kara Danvers.

Kara closed her eyes heavily. She supposed she'd had little hope of convincing Cat anyway, but she should have at least tried. Now she just had to hope that today's Twilight Zone version of the media mogul would be too nice to fire her.

Cat opened her office door and hurried out to the balcony. She had watched the fight on TV, wincing with each blow that the alien landed. She gasped when Kara's stumbling takeoff nearly brought her into contact with a nearby building, and she paced her office nervously, wearing a path around the desk, until she heard a noise on the balcony. She had turned in time to see the hero's stumbling entrance, which did little to assuage her fears. Rushing over to the hero, she asked, "Kara, are you all right? Are you hurt?"

Kara tried valiantly to stand up, but dizziness and fatigue forced her back onto the couch. "Kara, stay here," Cat commanded, putting her hand lightly on the girl's shoulder. "You are in no condition to move. My driver will be here in a few minutes to pick us up. However, we might want to think about a change of clothes first. Where is your Kara Danvers outfit?"

Kara lowered her eyes in defeat. "Stairwell," she admitted weakly, too tired to pretend anymore.

"I'll be right back," Cat assured. "If you move one muscle, I will beat you myself. I doubt it would take very much right now."

Kara simply sank back into the couch and closed her eyes.

The next thing she knew, her arms were being maneuvered into a blouse. "Do you always wear your Supergirl outfit underneath?" Cat inquired.

Kara nodded tiredly. "Usually, yeah. I just take off the boots and skirt."

"Well, you're going to have to do the rest, but let's get you inside first," Cat said, pulling the boots off of Kara's feet, and trying very hard not to notice the beauty of those long, lean legs. She sat down next to the hero. "Can you stand up with my help, or do I need to carry you inside?"

"I can do it," Kara insisted.

"If you say so," Cat responded skeptically, looking at the hero with a raised eyebrow. "Slowly, okay?" She helped Kara stagger into the office's bathroom, with the hero balancing heavily on her shoulder. "Skirt off, pants on. I'll be right outside. Do you need help?"

Kara shook her head. "I'm good." Moving slowly, she managed to change the rest of her outfit, then opened the door. Cat led her to the office couch, and she sank gratefully into the cushions.

Cat eyed her for a moment. "Kara, we're going to talk about this later. But right now, you need to just let me take care of you, okay?"

Kara nodded, too tired to argue. Her eyes slid closed again.

Cat explained, "My driver is coming up here, and he's going to bring you to the car. You're coming home with me. We'll talk in the morning about you coming back to work. Right now, I'm thinking no."

Kara opened her eyes in a panic. This was her worst fear. Cat was going to fire her. She had finally landed her dream job, and now she was going to lose everything. "Ms. Grant, please don't fire me. I know you think Supergirl should be out there full time, but I hope you know how much this job means to me. I need this. I love this job. Please don't take it away from me."

Cat laughed, surprised, and then closed her eyes with guilt at the memory of her previous conversation. No wonder the girl didn't trust her. "Kara, I'm not firing you. I might be forcing you to take a sick day or two." She continued, softly, "I was wrong to threaten that, and I'm sorry. No one can be Supergirl all the time. I know you need to have a normal life too. And for some strange reason, you seem to like working for me. I wouldn't want to take that away from you. I wouldn't want to take anything away from you, after all you've done for this city, and for me. And… I need you here." Cat cringed. Did she really say that out loud? She quickly amended, "CatCo needs you."

Kara had relaxed visibly. "Thank you so much for not firing me, Ms. Grant. You have no idea how important this job is to me."

Cat studied the Kryptonian, who currently looked nothing like a superhero. The girl was obviously exhausted, both physically and emotionally, and her body language – slumped shoulders, timid demeanor – was all Kara Danvers. She wanted so badly to wrap her arms around the hero, to stroke her hair gently, to lightly kiss those worry lines away, to massage every inch of that gorgeous body…

Cat shook her head violently to clear those thoughts. She needed to stop thinking like that. Kara needed a friend, and Cat wanted nothing more than to be there for her. That was all she could ever hope to have with Kara, and she would be happy just to be in the hero's life. The rest of Cat's desires would need to stay in her head, where they belonged. She looked up as the elevator arrived. "Here's my driver. Terrence, could you carry Ms. Danvers to the car? She's not feeling well.'

"It's Travis, Ms. Grant," Kara mumbled quietly. Of course, she would know that, Cat thought.

Travis lifted Kara easily, and carried her to the car. As hard as Kara tried to keep her eyes open, she was fast asleep by the time the car started moving. She awoke briefly fifteen minutes later, when the driver carried her into Cat's guest room and deposited her on the bed, but was instantly out again. "Thank you, Travis," Cat said kindly, as he looked at her in surprise.

"You're very welcome, Ms. Grant. Good night." He nodded as he left.

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Cat changed into yoga pants and a t-shirt, and then ate a quick dinner, before allowing herself to check on Kara. What she saw upset her greatly. Kara was thrashing violently in her sleep, brow furrowed with worry. Cat heard her quietly pleading, "No, don't do this. Alex. Please. Don't do this. Alex, no."

Cat rushed to the side of the bed. "Kara, wake up," she said urgently. "Kara, it's just a dream." She placed her hand on the hero's cheek. "Kara, please wake up," she begged.

Kara shot up in bed, nearly knocking Cat's head with her own. She was gasping for air, and had a look of sheer terror on her face. Cat continued talking to her, although she backed up to avoid having her nose smashed in. "Kara, it was just a dream. You're okay now. I'm right here." After a few seconds, the look of terror on Kara's face shifted into awareness.

"Ms. Grant, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to – did I hurt you?"

"Kara, I'm fine. You, on the other hand, were having a terrible nightmare." Cat placed her hand back on Kara's cheek, and looked into her eyes. "You haven't been sleeping well; that much is obvious. Have you been having a lot of nightmares?"

Kara was frazzled, embarrassed, and a little afraid. Her world was spinning out of control. She was in Cat Grant's penthouse, for goodness sake. And Cat was being so kind and understanding, and Kara was far too tired to figure out what that meant. Cat's hand on her cheek was very distracting.

Cat saw the range of emotions on Kara's face, and decided not to press the girl right now. "Kara, we need to get you some food, and we need to find you some more comfortable clothes. Why don't I look in my closet for something that might fit you, and you can put it on while I bring you some dinner?"

Kara nodded, relieved, and Cat soon returned with sweatpants and an oversized t-shirt. While Kara changed, Cat put together enough English muffin pizzas to feed a small army, and slid them into the oven. She placed the pizzas on a tray and brought them to Kara's room, along with a couple of water bottles.

Kara's eyes lit up at the sight of pizza. Cat chuckled quietly – Kara's tastes in food were so similar to Carter's. "I thought you might want some comfort food. You need to get your strength back." Kara ate quickly, inhaling an impressive number of pizzas, and Cat packed the few remaining ones away for Carter to eat when he came home.

"Better?" Cat asked, looking intently at Kara.

"Much. Thank you, again," Kara said. "Ms. Grant, I'm –"

Cat cut Kara off by holding up her hand. "Kara, we are sitting together on a bed in my apartment. It's probably time for you to call me Cat, at least while we're here."

Kara smiled weakly, and nodded. "Cat, I'm sorry I lied to you about who I am. It's not that I don't trust you. I just – I need this job, and I was trying to protect you."

Cat placed a hand on top of Kara's, and squeezed. "Kara, it's okay. I threatened to fire you. I pushed you away. I've made mistakes with you, and said things I regretted. And in return, you… you've saved me several times, you've always looked out for me, and you've supported me. You even tried to give your own life to save all of us. You have no reason to trust me, and still you look out for me."

Kara shook her head. "Cat, you inspire me every day. I admire you tremendously. And it's not just because you're intelligent, savvy, and beautiful." (Did I really just call her beautiful? Kara thought. Oh well, it's not like it isn't obvious.) "Beneath it all, you are one of the kindest and most generous people I know. When I first came to work for you, it was because I knew how influential you were, and what a role model you were for women everywhere. I never expected to see the wonderful generosity you show behind the scenes every day – all the things you do that no one knows about. Every day, you inspire me. I am Supergirl because of you."

Cat stared quietly at the superhero, and shook her head. "You really do see the best in everyone." She was glad that Kara couldn't see that her thoughts ranged well beyond professional, when it came to the gorgeous young woman. She stood up abruptly. "You need to sleep, Supergirl. Are you going to have nightmares if I leave you alone?"

"I'll be okay," Kara said quickly, and unconvincingly.

"Kara, have I mentioned lately what a terrible liar you are?" Cat leveled a piercing gaze at the girl. "You've been staying awake to avoid them, haven't you?" Kara's miserable glance was all the confirmation she needed. "All right then, your room or mine?"

"What?" Kara looked up, confused.

"Are we sleeping in the guest room or my bedroom? I'm not leaving you alone, because you'll just try to stay awake and likely hurt yourself tomorrow when you try to be a hero. So… your room or mine?"

"Um… I… I can just…"

"Oh, for heaven's sake, come on." Cat tugged the girl toward the master bedroom. "We are both adults. We're just sleeping. And I want to be there to wake you up from your nightmares. So get over it." She shook her head, pretending to be exasperated at the stammering superhero, and climbed into bed. Kara followed somewhat reluctantly. Cat gave Kara a penetrating gaze. "Kara, I'll know if you're lying there awake. Go. To. Sleep." In a more soothing voice, Cat continued, "I'll be right here, Kara. If you have a nightmare, I'll wake you up. You're not alone."

Kara nodded weakly. She didn't think she could stay awake, even if she wanted to. She felt awkward and uncertain, but also strangely comforted. She didn't have to be alone tonight, and that meant a lot.

Cat turned off the light, and mentally chastised herself for what had undoubtedly been a terrible idea. She would need to stay up all night now. She couldn't risk falling asleep and accidentally attaching herself to Kara. She didn't want to overwhelm Kara with an old woman's feelings. Still, it would give her a chance to keep an eye on the superhero. Cat wanted, more than anything, to be there for Kara. It would be worth any sacrifice she could possibly make.


	4. Chapter 4

As sunlight began to creep across the bedroom, Cat awoke to a comforting warmth. She smiled at the feeling, then opened her eyes in a panic as awareness dawned. To her relief, she discovered that despite falling asleep, she had managed to stay on her side of the bed. The Kryptonian, however, had no such reservations. Kara was draped across Cat's torso, with her head on Cat's shoulder, an arm wrapped around Cat's waist, and one leg flung across her thighs. Cat breathed deeply to calm her suddenly-accelerated heartbeat, and looked at the sleeping superhero.

Cat had watched Kara experience four more terrifying nightmares over the course of the night. Each time, Kara had been mumbling helplessly, begging the characters of her dreams to stop hurting her or to just stay alive. The most heartbreaking of all were Kara's appeals to her mother to "please come with me, mommy! I need you! Please don't send me away!"

Each time, Cat had placed her arm on the hero's shoulder or face, softly encouraged Kara to wake up, and reminded her that it was only a dream, and she was safe now. She would stroke Kara's hair or rub her back as the girl calmed down, and encouraged Kara to fall back asleep. Cat wished she could do more to help. She briefly thought about the Ambien in her medicine cabinet, but realized that it would probably do nothing for the Kryptonian. She wanted, more than anything, to take the nightmares away, to hold Kara close and never let anything hurt her again. Instead, she resigned herself to waiting for the next dream to come.

After the last nightmare, Cat must have drifted off for a few minutes. Kara had apparently (and unknowingly) taken that opportunity to snuggle with her boss. Cat was just happy to see the girl resting peacefully for a change.

Cat thought back to the last time she had touched the hero before last night, that hug that had made it impossible for her to deny her growing feelings for Kara. The hero had simply been expressing her gratitude for Cat's help, but the older woman had reveled in the touch of the strong, beautiful and kind superhero. "I reacted like a silly schoolgirl," Cat admonished herself silently. "This cannot be about me. This is about helping Kara."

Cat stared at the sleeping girl. Kara had no idea how stunningly gorgeous she was. Cat moved her free hand – the one not buried underneath a Kryptonian – and stroked the girl's hair, pushing it away from Kara's face. When the hero stirred, Cat began to remove her arm, but a hand grabbed her wrist lightly and pulled her back in. Kara murmured contentedly. Cat stared at the girl and continued to lightly stroke that beautiful blond hair, cursing herself for being so completely smitten. She should extract herself, and get ready for work, but instead she lay here, powerless to resist Kara's touch.

Kara gradually awoke with a sense of contentment that she hadn't felt in years. She was curled into a smaller, lithe body, and a comforting hand was lightly stroking her hair. It reminded her of nights with Alex, except this felt different, somehow. This felt more like home. She was so relaxed that she didn't immediately process where she was, and in her sleepy haze Kara reached up to peck the cheek nearest her.

The feeling of her lips on soft, soft skin was enough to jerk Kara's mind into consciousness. This was definitely not Alex. This was… oh god, she was at Cat's apartment. She was in Cat's bed. She had just kissed Cat Grant's cheek. Cat Grant. THE Cat Grant.

Kara began to leap out of bed, but a pair of arms surrounded her gently and pulled her back in. Confused, she allowed her head to be tucked back into Cat's shoulder, but stammered out, "Ms. Grant, I – Cat, I'm so sorry, I didn't realize where I was, I – um – I didn't mean to –"

Cat pulled the girl toward her tightly. She had been stunned by the kiss – by the jolt of electricity delivered by Kara's soft, sweet lips – but recovered enough to wrap her arms around the embarrassed hero and pull her back in. "Kara," she said softly, "it's quite all right. You were sleeping. I'm glad you were able to relax. That's all that matters. I'm the one who brought you into my bed. If I was uncomfortable, you know I would've said something."

"Cat, I –" Kara closed her eyes in embarrassment, remembering the number of times she'd woken up the previous night, realizing she had snuggled up to Cat in her sleep, and regretting that ill-advised kiss that she'd placed on the media mogul's cheek. Cat Grant's cheek. Cat Freaking Grant. But then, Cat was right. If she were uncomfortable, Kara had no doubt that Cat would have extracted herself from the situation. She did not tolerate anything she wasn't comfortable with. Kara couldn't even bring herself to think about what that might mean.

"Kara, please just listen to me for a minute, okay?" Cat paused, knowing she needed to say the right thing, to avoid chasing the girl away. Kara nodded stiffly, allowing herself to remain wrapped in Cat's arms. "You've been my friend for a while. Both as Supergirl and as Kara, even though I tried so hard to push you away. I know you've been hurting, and I can't even imagine what you're going through, after all the trauma you've experienced. I basically forced you to come here and sleep in my bed last night, and it's because I saw that you needed a friend and I wanted to be here for you. You allowed me to do that for you, and it means a lot to me. Please, don't back away from me now. Just relax and let me keep being your friend. I'm not going anywhere."

Kara was silent for a moment, processing what Cat had said. The only indication that she'd heard Cat at all was the softening of her posture as she relaxed into the older woman's arms. After some time, she said quietly, "Okay. Cat – thank you. Thank you for being here for me." She took a deep breath. "That was more than I've slept in a while. I'm sorry I kept waking you up."

Cat squeezed her gently. "You didn't wake me up, not even once."

Kara paused, puzzled, and then sighed. "Were you up all night? You need to sleep too."

Cat shrugged, and replied, "Not all night. I tried, but I fell asleep. I wanted to stay awake to be here for you whenever you needed me. I can sleep anytime. I'm the boss, remember?" She pinched Kara's arm lightly, then tightened her grip around the hero again. She sighed, remembering that yes, indeed, she was the boss. She couldn't succumb to these feelings that were threatening to overwhelm her. Still, Kara seemed to be accepting her friendship, and that would have to be enough.

Kara never wanted to leave the arms that were circled around her. She knew she would have to, soon enough, but she felt more comfortable in these arms than she had in a very, very long time. She would never be able to fully acknowledge her attraction to her boss, but she could have this, and even if this was the extent of it, it was more than she could have ever hoped for. "Cat," she said, her voice cracking with emotion. "What you did last night, it helped me so much. Being with you makes me feel safe. I just want you to know how much I appreciate it."

Cat sighed. She wanted so badly to find a way to take the hero's pain away. Instead, she broke the mood. "Well, as much as I'd like to stay in bed, I have a job to do, and if I don't get going, I'll be late." She extracted her arms from around Kara, and slid out of the bed. "I'm going to take a shower and get dressed. I'll drop you at your apartment on my way to work." Cat paused and leveled a glare at Kara. "Are you well enough to work today, or do I need to make you stay home?"

Kara nodded. "I'm doing a lot better, thanks to you."

"All right," Cat replied, "but I reserve the right to send you home if I don't like what I'm seeing. And you're coming back here tonight, whether you like it or not. We still need to talk about what's going on with you."

Kara smiled, comforted both by the mogul's gruff demeanor and by her "threat" of further conversation. Cat wanted to spend more time with her. Cat was promising to be there for her. Kara's heart leapt.

She was so beyond screwed.


	5. Chapter 5

"Alex, I'm sorry. I didn't check my phone last night." Kara paced the balcony of Cat's apartment, after glancing in horror at the 3 missed calls and 7 texts sent by Alex while she was sleeping.

"It's all right, Kara; I'm just glad you're okay. I was worried about you. You seemed… off… yesterday, and I wanted to make sure you made it home. I wanted to go over to check on you, but Lucy assured me you'd be fine, and you would call if you needed us."

Kara cringed. Alex would NOT have been pleased to discover Kara's empty apartment. Thank goodness for Lucy… although knowing Lucy, she probably assumed Kara was doing something with James, and wanted to respect her privacy. "I'm okay, Alex. I was exhausted, and fell asleep right away." That, at least, was true, even if Kara was omitting some rather important details.

"You want me to come bring you breakfast before I go to work?" Alex just wanted to check on her, Kara knew. Kara's mouth watered at the thought of the crullers that Alex would undoubtedly bring. Unfortunately, Kara was not where Alex expected her to be.

"It's okay, Alex. I'll stop in at lunchtime and visit you. I'm running late." Kara was carefully avoiding lying, but she just wasn't ready to have the conversation about where she was right now.

"All right. See you later, Kara."

"Love you, Alex."

Kara ended the call, and sighed. She hated keeping things from Alex. She would need to talk with her, and soon.

Just then, Cat stepped onto the balcony behind her. The hero's back was to her, but she could tell from the slumped shoulders and dejected sigh that something about the call had bothered her. Suppressing her urge to envelop the girl in her arms and smother her with love, Cat placed a hand gently on Kara's back. "Are you ready to go?" she inquired.

Kara nodded, closing her eyes and suppressing a shiver at Cat's gentle touch. "All set."

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Kara's second day at her new job involved a morning of follow-up interviews for Jessica's story, and she reserved the afternoon for writing. But first, she needed to see Alex. She stopped at a sub shop she knew Alex loved, and ordered their favorites. When she entered the DEO a few moments later, Alex's eyes lit up – first, at the sight of Kara, and a second time when she spotted the familiar bag in Kara's hand. "You are the best sister ever," she gushed.

Kara laughed. "You only love me because I can fly to San Francisco for subs."

"Well, that is definitely a plus," Alex acknowledged with a smile. She slung her arm over Kara's shoulder. "Come on. Let's go eat, and you can tell me all about your new job."

Kara grinned. She was so lucky to have a sister who was also her best friend.

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"So… you're gay." Alex said slowly.

Kara nodded, embarrassed. She had just finished recapping her conversation with James.

"Kara, why haven't you ever talked about this with me? I hope you know you can tell me anything. I mean, you know I'm gay, so it's not like I don't understand."

Kara hesitated. "I mean, I guess it was just that I was never really sure. I thought maybe my feelings for James could grow. He's obviously attractive. I guess I just thought if I could see that, I could make myself feel something for him."

"But Kara, why were you trying so hard? Why not just acknowledge that the feelings weren't there? Why not just focus on what you DO feel?"

"There was just never anyone specific. I mean, there were crushes, but never anything I thought was real."

Alex studied her sister for a long moment. "And now… there is someone."

Kara squirmed noticeably. She stared intently at the ground, and finally muttered, "maybe." After another long pause, she sighed. "It doesn't matter. It's not like anything will ever happen. I just couldn't be with James when I so clearly felt so much more for someone else. It wasn't fair to him."

"Kara, you're a beautiful young woman. Gorgeous, and smart, and kind. Who could possibly resist you? Why don't you think this could work?"

Shuffling her feet, Kara mumbled, "It just can't. It won't."

"You're really not going to tell me, are you? Fine, I'll figure it out. I'm a trained agent." Alex thought for a minute. "Is it someone at work?"

Kara nodded miserably.

"That sexy fashion editor? She's pretty hot."

Kara shook her head.

"Cat's new assistant? Emily, is it?"

Alex noticed that at the mention of Cat's assistant, Kara stiffened. The older sister's eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open.

"Oh no. Oh, no no no. No. Way. You dated her SON. She's your boss. You do NOT have a crush on the Queen of All Media. Cat Freaking Grant? Really, Kara?"

Kara swallowed miserably. "I told you, Alex, nothing will ever come of it. It's just a crush."

But the wheels were turning in Alex's head. "Kara, I saw the way she looked at you during the Myriad thing. There's something there. She really admires you. Of course, that was the Supergirl you. I don't know if she feels –"

"Alex, she knows about me. She figured it out."

"She WHAT?"

"She knows I'm Supergirl. I tried to deny it, but she saw the two of you with me during Myriad. She made the connection. Actually, I think she knew before that, but that sealed it, in her mind." Kara rushed to assure her sister. "She's not going to publish it or anything. She's not even going to fire me. She told me she knows that I need to live a normal life too."

Alex was staring at her sister, eyes wide. "When, exactly, did you have this conversation? And how am I just hearing about it now?"

"She was talking to me when you called last night. She knew I had to go be Supergirl, and when I came back, we talked a little. And then she – I might have – well, she kind of helped me – she took me home with her."

Alex was speechless. "So wait. Hold on. You slept with Cat Grant last night, and you didn't lead with that?" She paused. "Jesus, that's why you didn't want crullers this morning. That's why you didn't answer my calls. Oh my God. You called me from her penthouse."

Kara blushed furiously. "Alex! It was nothing like that. I was tired, and she was worried about me, so she brought me home with her, and put me in her guest room, and made me dinner. But then –"

She paused, not wanting to bring up the nightmares. She swallowed. "I wasn't sleeping well, so she made me come sleep in the bed with her. And she helped me fall asleep, and I may have accidentally cuddled with her in the morning, and I sort of kissed her cheek in my sleep. Well, not sleep exactly, but like, I wasn't really awake, and I just…"

Kara trailed off, staring at her suddenly grinning sister. "Don't look at me like that, Alex. It wasn't what you think."

"Oh. My. God." Alex said slowly. "My baby sister is hooking up with the Queen of All Media. Holy shit!" She jumped up and spun around, determined to share the news with Lucy, so the two of them could tease Kara mercilessly.

Kara grabbed her sister's arm quickly. "Alex, stop! There is NOTHING going on. We slept. That's it. She said she wanted to be there for me, and that she's my friend." She looked suddenly small and vulnerable. "Alex, friends do that, right?"

"Sure they do, Kara. And then they hook up, and have hot, wild, steamy sex," Alex said, snorting with laughter. At the panicked look on Kara's face, she said, "I'm sorry, Kara. I'm just kidding. Friends can definitely cuddle."

She wrapped her sister in a tight hug. "Kara, I'm just saying – her feelings for you might extend beyond friendship. But it's definitely going to be up to you to initiate anything more. She's your boss, and we both know that Cat Grant is the consummate professional. She would never make a move on one of her employees. And she probably thinks you're way too young and pretty for her."

"Way too young and pretty? Have you SEEN Cat Grant? She is gorgeous, and glamorous, and so incredibly sexy, so hot that like every time she moves, I want…" Kara trailed off. "And I am not talking about this with my big sister."

Alex just laughed. "It's about damn time you expressed your feelings for someone." She wrapped her arm around Kara's shoulder again. "Come on, Supergirl. Let's go make Lucy's day."

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Kara finally returned to her office an hour later, still blushing at the memory of Lucy's comments. Lucy was delighted to learn about Kara's new love interest, and assured Kara that the feelings were not the least bit one-sided. "Kara, I've seen the way she stares at you when you're not looking. She is so totally into you, and not just for your stimulating conversations. Maybe I should go to CatCo and have a talk with her, tell her to act on her feelings already."

At Kara's horror-stricken look, she laughed. "Kara, I'm kidding. Calm down. But seriously, the two of you have been dancing around each other for years now. It's a relief to see you finally doing something about it."

Kara's protests that they were not, in fact, doing anything about anything seemed to fall on deaf ears. Alex and Lucy were on a roll.

"Talk about a power couple! The Queen of All Media and Supergirl. I'm not sure who wears the pants in that relationship," Lucy commented.

At this point, Kara just wanted to block her ears, or die in a hole, rather than think about which member of this non-existent couple would wear the metaphorical pants.

"A pairing like that needs a name," mused Alex. "SuperGrant? No, not quite right. CatGirl? Definitely not. SuperCat? Hmm, that's kind of catchy."

"Okay, if the two of you are almost done embarrassing me, I should probably go back to work," Kara grumbled. Alex and Lucy just grinned at each other and started commenting on the sexual tension that would ensue in the office. Kara shook her head and flew away quickly.

Still recovering from her humiliation, Kara sat down at her computer to answer a few emails and then write Jessica's story.


	6. Chapter 6

A few hours later, Kara had a nearly-finished draft of her first article, as well as a few leads on her domestic violence story. She was re-reading the final version when she was startled by a knock at her door. She looked up into the searching eyes of Cat Grant, who stepped into her office with an air of confidence but kept her concerned gaze on Kara.

Kara couldn't help thinking about her unfinished comment to Alex, that every time Cat moves, it just makes Kara want her even more desperately… A slight blush crept up Kara's cheeks. She hoped the woman wouldn't notice. But Cat was just relieved to see that Kara seemed to be looking better today. "How's the article coming, Kara?"

"It's going well, Ms. Grant. I'll send it to editing before I leave tonight, and they can let me know what needs re-working. I hope it's okay," Kara offered.

Cat nodded, pleased. "Let me know what they think of it. Will you be ready to go by six? I thought we could stop at your place and get you some clothes, and then I could make you dinner, and we can talk about how you're doing."

"That sounds good," Kara affirmed, hoping that she didn't come across as overly eager. Cat wanted to spend another night with her. Even if it wasn't in the same bed this time, even if it wasn't a date or anything, Cat wanted to spend the evening with her. Cat was going to make dinner? Kara tried to calm her speeding heart. What did this all mean?

"Good, then," Cat said confidently. "See you at 6."

The older woman managed to make it all the way to her office before sinking down unsteadily into her chair. What was she doing? She was forcing the poor girl to spend time with her, to be friends with her. Was she taking advantage of Kara's vulnerability? She needed to make sure she didn't force the girl to do anything. Had Kara even agreed to spend another night there, or did Cat just assume that? Would Kara be comfortable sleeping in the same bed again? Would Kara… want that? Because the look in her eyes, when she agreed to come over again, implied that maybe that was something Kara was looking forward to. Cat's breath caught at the memory of that look. She needed to figure out what Kara was feeling. She would not allow the girl to feel trapped. Kara was far too precious for that.

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At precisely 6:00, Kara knocked on Cat's office door. Cat smiled and waved her inside. She couldn't seem to stop herself from smiling at the sight of the superhero. She needed to get that under control, before other employees started to think she was soft.

She was, of course. Soft, when it came to Kara. She told herself that she owed the girl – they all did – for her heroics. She didn't want to admit that she would do anything, absolutely anything, just to receive one of those beautiful smiles. For a while, she had pushed Kara away, hoping to dim that smile so she wouldn't be so tempted. But Kara simply continued to be the perfect employee and friend, regardless of how she was treated, and Cat missed having those smiles directed at her. So she resigned herself to the fact that she was a pushover, when it came to all things Kara-related.

She couldn't fight her feelings anymore, although she would limit what the girl could see. She would be a friend to Kara. She would help whenever, and however, she could, and she would be there to comfort Kara whenever the girl needed her. She needed to make sure that everything she did, she did on Kara's terms only. With that in mind, Cat leaned back and looked at Kara. "It occurred to me, after I left your office, that I didn't ask if you wanted to come to my house tonight. I simply assumed you would follow orders. But Kara, that's not fair to you. So if you're busy, or you don't want to come, or if you're not comfortable staying overnight, I need you to tell me that."

Kara studied Cat, thinking back to Alex's words of caution: "It's going to be up to you to initiate anything more. She would never make a move on one of her employees. And she probably thinks you're way too young and pretty for her." Was this Cat's insecurity showing through? Or was Cat just trying to make sure Kara understood that their friendship was separate from the boss/employee relationship? Kara decided that, regardless of the motivation behind these comments, she wanted to reassure Cat that she wasn't being pushed into anything.

"Cat, last night I learned that my mentor and role model is also a wonderful friend. You took such good care of me, and you knew exactly what I needed. I honestly don't know what I would have done without you. I slept better than I have in a while. Having you there to help me calm down after my nightmares was so important, but I think I slept the best when I accidentally snuggled against you."

Kara rushed to add, "Don't worry, I know you're not really the snuggling type. I just want you to know that I realize you put your own needs aside to be there for me. I want nothing more than to spend more time with you – tonight or tomorrow or whenever fits your schedule – and get to know you better. So no, you're not forcing me to do anything. I would love to come."

Kara knew she should probably stop talking, before she said something even more embarrassing. Instead, she continued, "You already know I think you're amazing, and not just because you're so brilliant and successful. You're a breathtakingly beautiful person, inside and out." She blushed faintly after uttering those words, and lowered her gaze.

Cat inhaled sharply. Kara's earnest response melted her heart, and the final sentence hit her like a bolt of electricity. "Kara…" she began, and then paused. What could she possibly say in response to that? "Thank you," she offered sincerely, with a warm smile that was reserved for only her sons and, now, Kara. "I'm proud that you consider me your friend, and I'm glad you're willing to come."

She stood up, grabbing her purse and walking around the desk. Stepping by Kara, she grasped the girl's hand, tugging her toward the private elevator. She was relieved to see that the bullpen was empty. After pushing the button to summon the elevator, she turned to look at Kara. "By the way, I love to snuggle. But if you mention that to anyone at CatCo, I will kill you, superpowers be damned." She spun her head forward and stepped confidently into the elevator.

Kara's breath caught in surprise at the older woman's words. She laughed, shook her head, and followed Cat into the elevator.

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When Cat had mentioned cooking dinner, Kara envisioned something along the lines of English muffin pizzas. So she was thoroughly surprised to walk into the kitchen and see Cat preparing a tray of lasagna. Noticing her surprise, Cat laughed. "What? I love to cook. It probably doesn't fit my cutthroat image, does it?"

Kara, still thinking about Cat's snuggling comment, responded, "Cat, a lot of who you really are doesn't fit your cutthroat image. That image doesn't do you justice at all." Feeling emboldened, Kara stepped closer and wrapped her arms around Cat from behind, enveloping her in a hug. "Thank you again," she murmured. She heard Cat's heart rate jump at the contact, and her sharp intake of breath.

Cat recovered quickly, and spun around to look at Kara. "That image is good for business. I don't care what people think of me personally. If they think I'm ruthless, I can use that to my advantage."

"I know," Kara admitted. "I just wish more people could get to know the real you. They're missing out on a pretty amazing person."

Cat smiled and touched Kara's cheek. "Sometimes, I think you see the person I want to be, rather than the person I really am." She moved away to finish preparing dinner.

Kara shook her head as she watched the woman chopping vegetables. "No, Cat. I just see the whole you. The part of you who loves your sons more than anything, and the sweet and generous side of you that always wants to help others. And I see the brilliant businesswoman, too, but she's not cold or uncaring at all. She just fights harder than anyone for what she believes in. You've built an empire, but that's not why I respect you. I respect you for the person you've become."

Cat was glad that her back was turned, because she could feel her eyes filling with tears. Kara had seen right through every wall she'd constructed. Why did she ever think she could keep her distance from the girl? How could she have ever hoped to avoid falling in love with Kara? How could anyone not love Kara?

And what else did Kara see? Could she see the adoration swimming in Cat's eyes? Did she know how much Cat loved her?

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The two ate a pleasant dinner together, engaging in conversations that centered around work and Carter. Carter had apparently met a new friend, which was huge for the socially awkward teen. Cat described Jamie as a quiet, mature, and introspective young boy, but explained that she had seen him open up to Carter. Jamie, a foster kid himself, had moved around quite a bit, but he appeared to be settling into his new home, and was in the process of being adopted. When pressed, Cat grudgingly admitted that she was helping the family with the adoption process, and footing the bill. "I just don't want to see Carter's new friend move away," she argued. Kara just smiled.

Kara talked about the article she was writing, and about the struggles Jessica's family had endured. She mentioned how well the girl was doing in school. Jessica's teachers had raved about her determination and thirst for knowledge, and how they hoped to see her attend college on a full scholarship. Kara noted, but did not comment on, Cat's interest in that part of the story. She suspected that Jessica would soon be receiving a full scholarship, courtesy of Cat Grant. Ruthless businesswoman, my ass, she thought to herself.

When they had finished, Kara began washing dishes in the sink. Cat tried to shoo her away – "Kara, you're my guest!" – but Kara was having none of it.

"Tell you what," Kara said, smiling. "I'll get this done before you finish putting the leftovers away." There was a blur of motion, and then Kara was standing next to a spotless counter, wiping her hands on a towel after drying the last dish.

Cat just shook her head. "You better not have broken any of my dishes," she responded sternly. Kara just grinned.

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The two retired to the living room. Cat sat down on the couch, and motioned for Kara to sit next to her. Cat reached out to grasp Kara's hand. "Kara, I know you're doing much better today, but we still need to talk about what's going on with you." Kara swallowed nervously, then nodded. "I can't even imagine the kinds of things you've seen, being an alien from another planet as well as a superhero. And you don't need to talk about anything you don't want to, okay?" Kara nodded again. "I just want to help you, if I can," Cat said gently.

Cat traced her fingers along Kara's palm, a gesture that soothed her slightly. "Are the nightmares coming from things you've experienced as Supergirl?"

Kara paused, and then nodded. "Mostly," she said.

"Okay, let's start there. You had to kill a Kryptonian in the Myriad fight, right?" Cat had read the press releases, and knew the basic story, at least the official version.

Kara nodded miserably.

"Who was he?" Cat asked softly.

"His name was Non. He was married to my Aunt Astra. He wanted to destroy the human race. He said humans were a disease." Kara took a deep breath . "I didn't know what else to do," she whispered, tears filling her eyes. "I had to stop him."

"Kara," Cat said softly, "You did what you had to do. You saved all of us. You have to forgive yourself."

"I just wish there had been another way," Kara said brokenly. "Maybe there was another way, and I just didn't see it."

Cat sighed. "Kara, you are so hard on yourself. You stopped a madman. That's a good thing." She paused, then circled back to what Kara had said moments ago. "He was your uncle?"

"Yes. His wife, Astra, was my mother's twin."

Cat shook her head. What must it feel like to have to kill a member of your own family? How does anyone get past that? She focused on Kara's words. "Was? She's not around, I take it?"

"She died a couple of weeks ago," Kara said quietly.

"Oh, Kara." Cat looked at the girl closely. She had lost so much. How could she handle so much pain? Why had Kara been forced to experience the death of another loved one? She remembered the sadness she had seen on Kara's face during that time, and wished she had been there for the hero. She would just have to make up for that now. To keep Kara talking, she asked "How did she die?"

Kara cringed, and whispered, "Alex killed her."

"Your sister Alex?" Cat asked, incredulously.

"She had to," Kara insisted. "Astra was going to kill someone."

Cat knew there was nothing she could say to take away the grief. She knew that the hero understood why everything had happened, at least in theory, but was struggling to process it all. So Cat did what she most wanted to do. She put her arms around the young girl, and held her tightly. Kara melted into Cat's arms as the tears started falling. Cat rocked her gently, telling Kara, "I'm here for you. Just let it all out. I'm so sorry you're hurting, Kara, but I'm right here."

She pulled the hero backwards gently, lying down on the couch with Kara in her arms. "Just let me hold you for a while, okay?" Kara nodded, still shaking with tears. Cat continued to hold Kara tightly, running her hands through Kara's hair, up and down her arms, and just soothing the girl. She held the Kryptonian while she cried, and continued to hold Kara long after the last tear had fallen, as Kara took shaky breaths to calm herself down.

Cat forced herself to breathe deeply. She was overcome with emotion. The love she felt for Kara was so vast that she thought it might spill out everywhere in a torrent of feeling. She wanted to squeeze Kara until the sadness was gone, leaving only the bright-eyed, happy young woman that she knew was beneath. She wished she could take away every loss that Kara had ever experienced. No one deserved to be saddled with those burdens, least of all Kara.

Still holding Kara tightly, Cat murmured, "There are other nightmares too, aren't there?" Kara nodded, taking a deep breath. "Don't worry, Kara. I'm not going to make you relive them all tonight. But I'm hoping that maybe over time you'll share more of your story with me. I'm here for you."

Kara turned slightly, and wrapped her arms around the woman below her. Perhaps she should be embarrassed by her emotional outburst, or ashamed of falling apart. But instead, all she felt was loved. Cat's arms felt like home. She didn't know how to put words to it, so she channeled everything she felt into the hug. The two held onto each other tightly for a while, not saying a word.

Eventually, Cat broke the silence. "Maybe we should get ready for bed," she suggested reluctantly, not wanting to break the contact.

Kara nodded, and sat up slowly. "Will you – I was hoping – Well, do you think – Um, could I maybe stay in your room again?" She turned red with embarrassment. "You can say no if you want," she said quickly. "I don't want to impose. It's just that I feel better with you there. You don't need to stay awake. I just want to be next to you. I can just, you know, sit there quietly while you sleep, or something. You don't even need to know I'm there. I can be really still."

"If babbling were a superpower," Cat said drily, "you would be unstoppable. Come on, Supergirl, let's get ready for bed." At Kara's hesitation, she smiled. "Of course you can stay in my room. I'm here for you, Kara. Whatever you need. It's not like you're imposing. I told you, I like snuggling."

Kara smiled, and heaved a sigh of relief. When the two climbed into bed a few minutes later, she immediately curled her body toward the older woman. Cat wrapped her arms around Kara, and pulled her closer.

"Sleep well, Kara," she whispered.

"Good night, Cat," Kara mumbled contentedly.


	7. Chapter 7

The two fell asleep almost instantly. Cat tried valiantly to keep her eyes open, wanting to be there for Kara when the nightmares hit. She'd had virtually no sleep the night before, however, and soon drifted into an exhausted slumber.

She woke up an hour later as Kara's body tensed next to her. When she felt Kara pulling away, she opened her eyes to see the girl answering her phone. "What's wrong, Alex?" asked the superhero. Whatever response she received had her stiffening with worry. "No, you were right to call. I'll be there soon."

Cat sat up, surveying the young woman. "What's wrong, Kara?"

"There's a hostage situation at the Science Museum." Cat's eyes widened. Carter's class had slept over at that museum just three weeks ago. "The police are coming, but Alex thought, with me being bulletproof and all, that maybe I could go in and talk to the gunman."

"Kara… I know you always want to help. But are you sure that's a good idea? You're exhausted. You need a break. Are you sure you can handle this right now?"

Kara just looked at her sadly. "Cat… there are kids there."

Cat nodded unhappily, knowing that for Kara, there was no other choice. "Okay. Will you come back afterward, or at least give me a call so I know you're okay?" She hated feeling clingy, but she couldn't handle the thought of something happening to her girl.

Kara nodded.

Cat stood up, stepping over the hero. "Kara," she started, brushing the girl's cheek with her hand. "Please be safe."

"I'll try." She spun, and was suddenly standing there in her Supergirl costume. With one last glance at Cat, she opened the balcony door and took off.

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Cat left the balcony doors open. She lay back down in bed, pretending to sleep for a while before finally giving up and tuning into CatCo's live coverage of the situation.

"Just to recap, here's what we know so far," the live reporter explained. "We have been told that an unknown man, holding a gun, has threatened to shoot the children staying overnight at the National City Science Museum. The police and Supergirl arrived on scene at approximately 11:40 p.m. Two shots were fired at 11:44 p.m. At that point, Supergirl ran into the building, and we heard three more shots. So far, there has been no information about any casualties. We have unconfirmed reports that the armed man is the estranged father of one of the students, but I must emphasize that those reports are unconfirmed."

Just then, the reporter spun around as the museum doors opened. A man limped out, hands tied behind his back. He was closely followed by Supergirl, who was holding a gun that she had twisted in half. The police quickly surrounded the man, while medical teams rushed into the building.

The camera closed in on Supergirl. She had blood on her hands, her face was streaked with tears, and the hollow, empty look in her eyes made it clear that something awful had happened inside. The reporter began to describe the scene, speaking in a hushed tone, clearly worried about what Supergirl had seen.

Cat saw Alex, dressed in all-black combat gear, rush over to give Supergirl a hug. She held the hero while tears streamed down her face. Kara was shaking her head sadly, saying something that looked like an apology, while Alex simply held her. Kara's sister then led her to a black SUV, and after an animated conversation, the two climbed in and sped away. The reporter continued to talk, but Cat didn't hear a word. She stared blankly at the screen.

Snapping herself out of her trance, Cat looked down at her hands, which were clenched tightly in fists. She couldn't stand to see the hero look so devastated. Kara had experienced too much tragedy already. And whatever this damn gunman did had destroyed the girl, if the look on her face was any indication.

She spotted the phone on the floor – the one Kara had mistakenly left behind, in her hurry to leave. She knew she should leave Kara alone. She knew that Kara was busy, and that she had better things to do than talk to Cat Grant. She told herself to let it go, try to get some sleep, and wait for Kara to contact her.

Instead, she picked up the phone and dialed the last number listed.

"Who is this?" asked Alex suspiciously, baffled to see a call from her sister.

"Alex Danvers? This is Cat Grant." Cat paused. In response to the stunned silence, she added unnecessarily, "Kara left her phone here."

"So I gathered," Alex said drily, and the response was so similar to something Cat would've said herself that she almost smiled.

"Is… Is Kara okay?" Cat asked softly, hating herself for the desperate tone in her voice.

Alex sighed. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" A moment later, the doorbell rang.

Cat jumped, and then ran for the door, slowing to a more dignified walk as she rounded the corner. She opened the door to a teary superhero and a slightly uncomfortable agent, and couldn't stop herself from wrapping the superhero in a hug so tight it would've been painful for any human. Kara sank into Cat's embrace, fresh tears falling as she relaxed into the hug.

Alex cleared her throat, embarrassed at interrupting such an intimate moment. "Kara needs to go to the DEO for treatment, but she insisted on coming here instead. She took three bullets to the chest, and even though she is normally bulletproof, they must have bruised her ribs. I'm worried about the way she's breathing."

Hearing those words, Cat cringed, and loosened her hold slightly on the superhero. Kara mumbled, "Alex, I'm fine. I just need to stay here. Please." Her small, teary voice made the comment less than convincing.

Cat sighed. "Give me three minutes. Come in, both of you. And Alex, make sure Kara doesn't lose her phone this time." She handed Alex the phone, and then disappeared around the corner.

Alex looked at Kara, confused. "What are we waiting three minutes for, exactly?" Kara simply shrugged and sat down heavily in a chair.

Precisely three minutes later, Cat reappeared, looking glamorous and perfect. Alex blinked in surprise. Was the woman a superhero herself? How could anyone look that good in three minutes?

"All right, let's go," Cat announced, grabbing her purse.

"Oh no, you're not going anywhere," Alex explained. "I just wanted to let Kara see you before I forced her into treatment."

Cat fixed her nastiest glare on Alex. Being only human, Alex was slightly intimidated, but was not about to admit that to the mogul. "I am not leaving Kara's side right now," Cat declared confidently. "Not for anything."

Alex began to protest, but Kara turned and quietly said, "Please, Alex." Alex just slumped her shoulders in defeat. No one, not even Alex, was immune to the Kara Danvers effect. And Alex reasoned that perhaps if the older woman was there, Kara would be less resistant to treatment.

Alex fixed her own glare on Cat. "If I see one word about this in your paper, I will kill you slowly and painfully, and then hide your body somewhere it'll never be found."

Kara started, "Alex! You know she would never –"

But Cat just held up a hand and laughed. "I can see why Kara idolizes you."

Kara, thoroughly overwhelmed, just shook her head and followed the two women.


	8. Chapter 8

Alex climbed into the front seat next to the driver – Vasquez, according to the tag on her sleeve – while Kara and Cat settled into the back. The minute they were seated, Cat grasped Kara's hand firmly, and began to massage it lightly with her thumb. Alex glanced at their joined hands, amused, but didn't say a word. Kara simply sighed heavily, slumped into her seat, closed her eyes, and allowed her head to rest on the back cushions. They drove to the DEO in silence, each woman lost in her own thoughts.

When they arrived, Cat pulled Kara out of the back seat, without letting go of her hand. They walked, hand-in-hand, through the hallways, while Cat received wide-eyed stares from everyone they passed. DEO agents were not used to seeing media members in their hallways, and this was the Queen of All Media herself. Cat fought a smile at the sight of so many panicked faces.

When the quartet reached the treatment room, Cat released Kara's hand. "Kara, I'll be right outside, okay?" she said softly.

Kara nodded. She paused briefly, looked into Cat's eyes, and murmured, "thank you," before entering the room.

Once the door had closed on Kara, Cat whirled to face Alex. The look on Cat's face was an intense combination of anger and fear. "Agent Danvers, what the hell happened to her?"

Alex shook her head. "Not here, Ms. Grant." She led the woman to a nearby conference room. Rapping the wall, she said, "Soundproofing. It's not perfect, but it will keep her from having to listen. Kara doesn't need to hear us talk about this. She already experienced it once." She gestured for Cat to have a seat, and then said, "And please, call me Alex."

The older woman nodded. "Cat."

Alex began to recap the events. "When Kara arrived, she asked the police whether she should go in. They told her to wait, since they were in communication with the gunman. When he suddenly hung up the phone, they heard two shots, and Kara ran in. She was fast enough to step in front of the rest of the shots. She saved a ten-year-old boy from three bullets."

Alex took a deep breath. "She bent the gun in half and tied up the gunman. Then she looked to see if anyone was hurt. A woman had been shot twice in the chest. Kara tried to save her, but she couldn't. She watched the woman die."

"Kara did everything she could possibly have done," Alex continued. "But as always, the woman's death hit her hard. She was apologizing for letting the woman die."

Cat nodded sadly. "She thinks she has to save everyone. This job is tearing her apart. We need to help her."

Alex looked at her steadily. "Kara is the strongest person I know, and I don't mean just physical strength." She searched Cat's face, noting the concern in her eyes. "What do you mean, exactly? Is there something I'm not seeing?"

Cat asked gently, "She hasn't told you about the nightmares?"

"She's been having nightmares?" Alex asked. "Recently?"

Cat nodded, looking down at her own clenched fists. "Last night, she had four. Well, five, if you count the one I walked in on while she was sleeping in the guest room." She glanced up, and Alex could see the tears fighting to emerge before Cat looked away. "She's hurting, Alex," Cat said quietly. "And she just added another nightmare to the list."

Alex stood up suddenly, and began pacing. Suddenly, she grabbed a water bottle from the table, and threw it against the wall. The top cracked open, and she stared, eyes brimming with tears, as water leaked out. Her anger dissipated as the pool of water spread, her shoulders slumping noticeably. "I didn't know," she whispered hoarsely. "Why didn't I know?"

Alex sank into her chair, fighting to control her emotions. "Why didn't she talk to me?" Alex wondered miserably. "She said something today… something about not sleeping well and you bringing her into your bed for the night… and I was so focused on teasing her about it that I didn't realize what she was saying. I should've picked up on that. I should've known."

Cat was a little embarrassed to hear that Kara had shared that particular piece of information with her sister. She could only imagine what Alex must think of her – Kara's boss, taking advantage of the girl's moment of weakness. But she set that thought aside, focusing solely on Kara.

She had heard Kara talk about Alex, her sister and best friend, with reverence. Alex needed to know how much she meant to Kara. "I don't know why she hasn't said anything to you, Alex. But I know how much she loves you. You're her hero. If I had to guess, I think she is probably uncomfortable because some of the dreams are about you."

Alex looked up, stricken. Then she nodded sadly, a few tears spilling over. "You're right. Kara wouldn't want me to know that she was having nightmares about things that I did."

"Alex," Cat said softly. "It's not your fault. You're an amazing sister. If anything, I think Kara feels guilty about how much she needs you. I think she thought this would be an unfair burden on you."

Alex sighed. "I understand. But that doesn't mean I'm happy about it." She was silent for a couple of minutes, processing everything. Cat sat quietly, giving Alex a chance to regain her composure. Finally, Alex said quietly, staring down at the table, "Cat… I'm so glad she has you."

That was the last thing Cat had been expecting to hear. She could only imagine the stories Alex had heard about her. As Kara's boss, she had treated the girl terribly at times, using the guise of a "purely professional relationship" to be vindictive and petty. Now, she had brought Kara into her home and practically lured the young woman into her bed. Cat shook her head, unable to believe she'd heard correctly. She laughed bitterly, and responded, "Alex, I think you're confusing me with someone else."

Alex shook her head, and gazed intently at the older woman. "You have helped her so much more than you realize. And not just last night, although I know how much that meant to her." She touched Cat's wrist lightly. "She sees you, you know. You cultivate this image that's nothing like who you really are, and she never bought it. Not for a second. She would do anything for you."

Alex continued softly, "And from what I've seen, you feel the same way about her."

Cat sat motionless for a moment, and then admitted, "She terrifies me. She's more important to me than I want to admit." She didn't know why she was telling Alex any of this. She suspected, though, that the agent knew it already.

"You love her," Alex said quietly. Cat looked up in surprise, and then slowly nodded and sighed.

"God, I've spent so long denying it, and pushing her away. How could I not love her? How could anyone? But she's my employee, and she's two decades younger than me. And she's beautiful and kind, and a superhero. I have two children. I've been ruining relationships for longer than she's been alive. I'm mean, bitter, and cold. It can't possibly work, and I owe it to her not to saddle her with an old woman's feelings. I will be there for her in any way I can. I'll be a friend to her, and I'll take care of her whenever she needs me. And if she can accept my friendship, it's as much as I could possibly ask for, and I can be happy with that." Cat had almost managed to convince herself.

Alex studied her for a moment, and then shook her head, smiling sadly. "The two of you are insufferable."

As Cat looked at her quizzically, the treatment room door opened, and both women jumped to their feet. A weary superhero stepped into the hallway, and Cat was at her side in an instant. The doctor turned to Alex, and said, "She needs to rest, preferably under the sun lamps. Supergirl has some bruised ribs. She will heal quickly, but right now her system is pretty worn down."

Kara looked at Alex, eyes pleading. "Alex, don't make me sleep here. I'm fine. I'll be fine."

Cat sighed, knowing that not even the most highly trained agent could withstand that look from Kara. "Come on, Supergirl, you can sleep at my house. I'll make you spend all day lying on the balcony."

"No, I can't do that. I have an interview scheduled for 9:30, and then a conference call at 11, and then I…" Kara's voice trailed off at the glare – a full Cat Grant special – that she was receiving.

"I'll let your boss know you won't be in today," Alex said, grinning.


	9. Chapter 9

Kara awoke bathed in sunlight. Cat had opened all of the blinds, brightening the room considerably. She was slightly disappointed to discover that she was alone in the bed. When they got back to Cat's apartment, the older woman had guided her into bed and pulled her close, soothing her by stroking her hair and rubbing her back. Kara had fallen asleep in the woman's comforting arms. She had woken up twice, dreaming about running into the museum too late to stop the bullets, and both times Cat had calmed her down, speaking softly while continuing to hold the hero tightly.

Listening carefully, Kara could hear Cat moving around the kitchen. She smelled the distinctive aroma of coffee, and… was that pancakes? Her mouth watered at the thought. She heard another voice – could that be Alex? – and went to investigate.

Entering the kitchen, Kara spotted two sights that melted her heart. Alex, the greatest sister on any planet, had shown up with crullers, and was sitting at the table drinking coffee. Meanwhile, the multi-millionaire businesswoman, who undoubtedly should have been out running her company, was instead making pancakes. The two were chatting softly.

Cat looked at her, and smiled. "We thought you needed a big breakfast this morning, so we have two of your favorites."

Speechless, Kara walked over behind her sister, and enveloped Alex in a hug. She then walked over to Cat, and embraced her tightly, before eagerly grabbing a cruller from the box. "Have I told you both how much I love you? You are way too good to me," she said, sitting down and taking a huge bite.

Cat brought a plate piled high with pancakes, ignoring the flutter in her heart at Kara's declaration of love. Knowing Kara, she would probably say that to anyone. She set the plate in front of her superhero. "Well, you've been pretty worn down. You needed this. And you'll be stuck with us all day today. Alex insisted on spending the day here with you, and I'll be working from my home office."

"And," Alex said dramatically, "I brought ice cream."

Kara's eyes lit up.

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After devouring an immense breakfast – pausing occasionally to breathe – Kara followed Cat and Alex into the living room. Cat left the two sisters seated on the couch, declaring that she needed to go make a few phone calls. Alex turned to her sister, and said, "Kara, we need to talk." She surveyed Kara closely, seeing the sadness and fatigue in her features. She silently cursed herself for not noticing it earlier. "Why didn't you tell me about the nightmares?"

"Cat talked to you about that?" Kara asked quietly, embarrassed.

"Kara, she's worried about you. We both are. You've dealt with so much tragedy recently." Alex leaned forward, looking into her sister's eyes. "You may have superpowers, but you never, ever have to be alone. Stronger together, remember?"

Kara fought to keep the tears from falling. "Alex," she said, taking a shaky breath. "I didn't want to hurt you. I couldn't bear the thought of you waking me up from a nightmare involving you."

Alex nodded. "That's why Cat thought you had kept it from me. But Kara, I don't want you to shut me out. I know that I've been involved in things that upset you. I can handle that. I just need you to talk to me. You're my sister, and it kills me knowing I wasn't there to help you."

Kara sighed. She knew how upset she would be if Alex kept something like that from her. "I'm sorry, Alex. I just…" She shook her head. "I don't know how to handle some of this stuff."

Alex looked at her, waiting for Kara to elaborate.

"Alex, I killed Non. Supergirl doesn't kill, but I did."

Alex nodded, grasping her sister's hand, and holding it gently. "Kara, I know how painful that must be for you. I think you already realize that you had no choice. But it's still hard to accept. It gets easier, with time. And talking about it always helps."

Kara paused, taking an unsteady breath. "When I killed him, I was so angry. What if I get that angry again? What if I kill someone else?"

Alex knew that losing control was Kara's greatest fear, especially since the Red Kryptonite incident. "I know your powers scare you sometimes. But that fear – that caution – is why you're so amazing. Sure, you get angry, but you have the most principled conscience of anyone I know. You could never allow yourself to do the wrong thing. It's not who you are. And the choices that you make – Kara, that's what makes you a hero, not your super-strength or ability to fly."

Kara smiled. "Who do you think taught me those principles? Alex, that's because of you. You've taught me to be the person I am." She squeezed Alex's hand. "You know you're my hero, right?"

Alex shook her head, not sure how to respond to that. "Kara, I would do anything for you. I hate seeing you hurting."

Kara sat quietly for a moment, staring into space. "I just… I close my eyes, and I see Non dying. And then I see Kelly, and Astra, and now the woman who died last night, and so many others." She asked softly, "How many more people will die because of me?"

Alex leaned forward. "Kara, you became Supergirl to save people. Maybe it feels to you like the opposite has been happening lately, but that's just not true. Kara, you saved the whole planet. Every single person who is alive right now is only here because of you."

"It's not that easy, though. Maybe if I wasn't here, the events that led up to that wouldn't have happened." Kara paused. "My parents sent me here to save this planet, and sometimes I feel like I'm letting them down."

"Kara, your parents sent you here because they loved you and wanted to give you a chance to live. They would never be disappointed in you. How could they be? You're amazing. I only wish they could be here to see the beautiful person you've become."

Kara's eyes glistened with tears. "I'm just so tired, Alex. Sometimes… sometimes, I wonder if it would have been easier if I didn't come back from space."

Alex's eyes widened. She took a deep, shaking breath. "Kara. no. Please don't think that way. What would I do without you? What would any of us do without you?" She swallowed, and her voice shook with emotion. "Kara, I can't lose you. I need you. So many people need you. And every single one of us is here to help you through this. Whatever it takes."

"I've known you since the day you landed here," Alex continued. "You've lost so much, and I can't imagine how you do it, but you're more fully alive than anyone else I've ever met. We all feed off of your passion and energy. Becoming Supergirl gave you a way to spread that passion, and I think maybe we need to focus more on that. You need to remember why you love being Supergirl, and why you love being Kara."

Kara took a deep, shuddering breath. "You're right," she acknowledged eventually. "Everything's been happening so fast lately; sometimes I just feel a little lost." She shook her head, and glanced up at her sister. "You always know exactly what to say. How do you do that?"

"Well, I'm your big sister. I know everything."

Kara smiled. "Alex?" she said tentatively. "I'm so sorry I didn't talk to you."

Alex grabbed Kara into a hug. "Don't be sorry, Kara. Just don't shut me out." She grinned. "Now tell me about this thing with Cat."

Kara shrugged, embarrassed. "There is no 'thing with Cat'."

"Sure there isn't. You're holding hands, you're sleeping in the same bed, and she's staying home from work, making you pancakes, for God's sake. If there's nothing going on, then there's something wrong with the two of you."

"Alex!" She reached out to gently smack her sister. "It's not like that," Kara protested, flushing with embarrassment.

"What's not like what?" asked Cat, entering the room.

Alex just laughed and shook her head as Kara's face turned beet red.

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Alex spent the day hanging around with Kara, even pretending that she wanted to suntan on the balcony so that Kara would sit outside with her. The ruse was so transparent that Kara didn't even bother to call her on it. She knew that her sister just wanted to help. She understood that Alex was worried about her, and she felt like an idiot for ever thinking she had to do this alone.

Cat worked in her office for most of the day, but she checked on the sisters so frequently that Alex finally grinned and handed her the bottle of suntan lotion. Cat shook her head in disgust – "Banana Boat? Really? Are you twelve?" – and went to get her own, designer-brand lotion. Alex just laughed.

As the afternoon came to a close, the three women headed back inside. Alex knew she needed to leave soon, but she wanted to talk with Cat first. Some of the things Kara said had worried her, and she wanted to make sure her sister would be okay.

As the three women settled back into the living room, Alex draped her arm over Kara's shoulders, and turned to the older woman. "Cat, I'm worried about my sister." Kara stiffened next to her. "You're right that her role as Supergirl is wearing her down."

Kara immediately started to protest. "Alex, I love being Supergirl!" She stopped when Alex held up a hand.

"Let me finish," asserted Alex. "And don't worry, I'm not telling you not to be Supergirl." She turned back to Cat. "Kara told me this morning that she wonders, sometimes, if it would have been easier if she died in space."

Cat's breath caught in her throat. She looked at Kara in fear. "Kara, we can't lose you. I can't lose you," she said desperately. "God, Kara, I can't even imagine how we would go on without you. Do you really think that?"

Kara kicked her foot at the carpet awkwardly. "I don't really believe that. It's just so hard, sometimes. I don't understand why so many people have to die."

Alex nodded. "Kara thinks that people are dying because of her. She doesn't like to acknowledge that we'd all be dead if she hadn't saved the planet."

"Alex, you're oversimplifying," Kara protested.

Cat shook her head. "No, I don't think she is. Kara, you think you have to save everyone. You need to realize that if you save even one person, you're a hero. That ten-year-old boy in the Science Museum is alive today because of you. We need to help you remember that. We need to help you remember who Supergirl really is, and what she stands for."

Cat looked at Kara earnestly. "Why do you think I gave you the assignment to focus on everyday heroes? I wanted you to see how much of an impact you've had on our city. Supergirl has inspired so many of them. She inspires me every single day. She has made me into a better person. She's the reason you see so many good things in me."

Alex smiled. "And that brings me to the other thing I wanted to talk about before I leave." She looked at the two women. "I can't believe I even have to do this, but the two of you are so disgustingly selfless and insecure that neither one of you is willing to acknowledge what's happening here."

She turned to her sister. "Kara, you think that Cat could never possibly see anything in you. You think she's so far above you that she could never love you. You think you have nothing to offer her, and that you're just the assistant whose name she pretended not to know. And you're so worried about getting close to anyone, and making them a target. But Kara, you are worth so much more than any risk she could possibly face. You have no idea how beautiful, kind, and amazing you are. You can't see how much everyone loves you – and that's all Kara, not Supergirl."

Looking at Cat, she continued, "And Cat. You think you're too old, too jaded, and too selfish for Kara. You're convinced that you would screw things up, and you can't bear to put Kara through that. You're afraid to push her into anything because you're her boss, and because you think she can't handle it. But she can. She's so much stronger than you think. And you can't see how brilliant and caring you are, and how well Kara already understands you, and how much she depends on you. You have no idea how much you have to offer, and how good Kara would be at bringing that out."

Alex shook her head. "The two of you are so in love with each other it's nauseating," she said wryly. "And I can't stand watching you torture yourselves. So figure it out, you two idiots."

With that, Alex smiled and stood up. "Don't worry. I'll see myself out." She left the two stunned women staring at her as she walked out of the room.

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Cat was the first to regain the power of speech. She knew that Kara deserved to hear the truth, as hard as it might be for Cat to admit. She needed to be honest about what she felt, but she also needed to be clear about why this couldn't work. "Kara, from the first day I met you, I knew you were incredibly special. You are generous, sweet, and caring, not to mention breathtakingly gorgeous, but it's what's inside you that truly makes you beautiful. I tried so hard to push you away, but you wouldn't budge, and eventually I realized that pushing you away was just hurting both of us."

She continued, "Of course I'm in love with you. Who wouldn't be? But I could never hope to be good enough for you, so I won't even try. You deserve so much better than what I can offer. I have no doubt that I would hurt you, and couldn't live with that. I'm just so happy to be a part of your life. You accepted my friendship, and that's enough for me. I get to spend time with you. I get to hug you, and tell you how much I care about you. Anything more than that is a terrible idea."

Kara's eyes were as wide as saucers. Cat thought she could easily drown in those beautiful blue eyes. But the hero's silence was making her nervous. She wondered if she'd said too much. The last thing she wanted was for Kara to feel uncomfortable. Perhaps she should have downplayed her own feelings. She looked at the young woman uncertainly.

Kara stood up suddenly. She took a deep breath, and walked over to sit down next to Cat on the couch. Cat turned to face her, puzzled. Kara lifted her arms to cradle Cat's face, leaned in, and softly brushed her lips against Cat's. She leaned forward, resting their foreheads together, and smiled. "I've been wanting to do that for so long," she murmured.

Cat stared at Kara for a long moment. She had to put a stop to this – whatever this was. It was such a bad idea. It would ruin both of them. But all of a sudden, she couldn't remember why it was a bad idea. At the moment, it seemed like a good idea. No, a brilliant idea. It suddenly seemed… right.

She wrapped her arms around the hero's neck, pulled her forward, and kissed her passionately. "Me too," she murmured, as she pulled Kara down on the couch with her. Regrets would have to wait.

They spent the rest of the evening buried in each other's arms, sharing occasional kisses, but mostly just enjoying the intimacy of their embrace. They didn't talk much: neither one wanted to break the spell. There would be time for talking later, but right now, they just wanted to feel.

Later that night, Kara carried a half-asleep Cat into her bedroom, and she spent the night holding Cat tightly and watching her sleep. Neither woman heard Kara's phone beep with a text from Alex, stating only, "You're welcome."


	10. Chapter 10

Cat Grant was afraid. Sure, last night had been amazing. (She tried, in vain, to remember the last time she had used that phrase to describe anything that didn't include sex. Or really, to use that phrase at all.) But when reality began to interfere with… whatever this thing with Kara was… she feared that the façade would crumble.

Kara was so very young. Did she really have feelings for Cat, or was she just drawn to her mentor? Would they fade when she saw the day-to-day reality of life with Cat Grant? Would Cat manage to push her away, like she had everyone else? Would Kara realize that the age difference was just too much?

Cat was terrified that she would hurt the girl. Kara was so vulnerable, and so trusting. Right now, Cat wielded a power over the young woman that frightened her. Of course, Kara held that same power over the older woman. "I've opened myself up to her," Cat realized. "I've let her into my heart, and she has the ability to destroy me. If I lose her, it will rip my heart to pieces."

Carter was coming home today. Normally, Cat's heart would leap at the thought, but right now she felt unsettled. Kara wouldn't want to be saddled with Cat's children, would she? Cat knew that Kara liked Carter, but Kara was young, and beautiful, and had her whole life in front of her. "Why would she want to be a part of mine?" Cat wondered.

Should she do the right thing, and end this now? Was that even the right thing? Or should she go all in, and risk everything? Cat shook her head, realizing it was too late to ask that question. She was all in. Her heart gave her no other choice. And Kara was more than worth the risk. She would have to try her hardest not to screw this up.

Cat stepped out of the shower, effectively putting an end to her monologue. She quickly dressed and applied her makeup. When she opened the bathroom door, she was greeted by a smiling superhero, who offered a steaming mug of coffee. Every other thought flew out of Cat's head as her heart stuttered. "She looks like an angel standing there," Cat thought. "But I've never seen an angel that beautiful. And I don't think angels usually serve coffee."

Cat took the mug, smiling, then set it down behind her. She wrapped her arms around Kara, pulling her impossibly close, and kissed her gently. When she finally ended the kiss, she murmured quietly, "Is this even real?"

Kara grinned widely. "I sure hope so," she responded. "But if it's not, it's way better than my usual dreams."

At that, Cat paused and considered the hero. She lifted the coffee mug and took a sip, then asked, "No nightmares last night?"

Kara shook her head, not quite meeting Cat's eyes. "Nope."

Cat was a skilled investigator, but this? This was child's play. She simply fixed her gaze on Kara and waited.

Kara shifted uncomfortably, and then mumbled, "I might have spent the whole night looking at you, rather than sleeping."

As adorable as Kara was – and that response ranked pretty high on the scale – Cat suspected that it wasn't just infatuation keeping the girl up all night. "You were avoiding the nightmares, weren't you?"

Kara's shoulders slumped miserably. "Cat, I just – Well, you hadn't slept much the last two nights. I know you needed a good night of sleep. And everything was so perfect last night; I couldn't bear to ruin it."

Cat sighed, and sat down on the bed, pulling the girl down next to her. This couldn't possibly work if Kara shut her out. "Kara, do you remember what I said to you when I first brought you here?" Cat paused, looking into Kara's eyes. "I asked you to let me take care of you. I told you I'm here for you. That hasn't changed, and it won't, no matter what happens between us. You need to believe that I can love the real you, not just the parts you let me see. If you were worried about me getting enough sleep, you should have talked to me about it, rather than making the decision for me."

Kara nodded. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Kara. I know you meant well. I just want you to understand that you need to trust me." Cat stood up abruptly. "I hate cutting off this conversation, but if I don't hurry, I'm going to be late. Not all of us have super-speed," she said, raising an eyebrow at Kara. "So let's talk later, okay?"

As the two women headed to work, Cat tried desperately to ignore her own uncertainty. She had asked Kara to trust her, and she needed to do the same. But she hadn't brought up the topic of Carter. How would Kara handle a thirteen-year-old boy being part of their relationship? Carter was more important to her than anything else in the world, and he always came first. But she desperately wanted to believe there was room in her life for Kara, too.

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The day flew by. Both women had full schedules, after missing the previous day. Kara tried hard not to think about Cat – about how safe she felt in Cat's arms, about the kisses that had sent tingling sensations through her whole body, about how breathless she felt when Cat admitted she was in love with Kara. Still, she found herself daydreaming frequently.

James and Winn each stopped by to check on her, concerned that Kara had taken a sick day. Her interaction with James was awkward and stilted; the one with Winn, slightly less so. But Kara wasn't ready to talk with either one about the events in her life, so both conversations were brief. Kara reassured both men that she was fine, and had just needed to rest after her late-night heroics.

She thought about how what Alex said, that Cat thought she was too old, jaded, and selfish to be in a relationship with Kara, and was worried about abusing her position of power. They hadn't really talked much, after Alex left. Kara smiled – they'd been rather distracted. But she hoped that Cat didn't really believe any of those things.

Kara knew that none of those things were true. This was not a fling for Kara: she had been attracted to Cat Grant since the first day they met, and her feelings had only grown stronger over time. And despite the walls the older woman constructed around herself, Kara saw right through those barriers. She knew that Cat was an amazing, beautiful, brilliant woman. She was not the least bit selfish – in fact, it was Cat's selflessness that caused her to push people away, for fear of hurting them. She would just need to convince Cat not to do that to her. For behind Cat's brashness and confidence was a scared, insecure woman, and Kara was determined to care for that vulnerable heart.

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By mid-afternoon, Cat knew she had put off the conversation about Carter long enough. She knocked on Kara's door, and her heart rate spiked briefly at the wide smile that greeted her. She smiled back. "I heard from editing that your article is fantastic. I can't wait to read it."

"Really?" Kara asked, eyes wide. I was worried they would tear it apart."

"Kara, someday maybe you'll have a little faith in yourself. You're very talented." Cat sat down in front of Kara's desk. "But that's not why I'm here." She leveled her gaze at Kara, and said, "Carter comes home today."

Kara nodded. Although she was no longer Cat's assistant, she still knew Cat's schedule pretty well.

Cat continued, "I don't want you to think I'm avoiding you, but Kara, I want to spend the evening with my son. I love spending time with you too, but I haven't seen him in a week, and he and I both need some time together. Is that okay?"

Kara responded without hesitation, "Cat, of course that's okay. Family comes first. Carter always comes first." She knew how much Carter meant to Cat, and she would never want to take away the mother's time with her son. She liked Carter, and was hoping she would eventually get to spend time with him too. She wanted to get to know the kind, intelligent boy who had captured Cat's heart. Kara forced herself to hide a pang of anxiety at the thought that he might not want her there.

Cat continued, "If you need me for anything, please call me. I'm here for you, Kara. But I think it's better if you don't come over. Is that okay?"

Although Kara hadn't intended to come over, she couldn't help feeling a little nervous. The way Cat was phrasing her comments… maybe she didn't want Carter to know about Kara. She had been hoping for some hint that Cat would talk with Carter about what was going on, and maybe eventually allow Kara to spend time with the two of them. Trying to hide her uncertainty, Kara said, "I completely understand. Just let me know what you're comfortable with."

Cat was relieved to hear that Kara understood her devotion to Carter, but she couldn't help thinking that Kara seemed... worried. "Maybe she's just now remembering that I have a thirteen-year-old son… and another one that she dated," Cat thought grimly. "That probably terrifies her. What twenty-four-year-old wants to deal with a teenage son?" She decided not to press the girl right now.

"Thank you, Kara. But I mean it: Call me if you need anything at all. And if you have nightmares, please call so I can help you calm down, okay?" Kara nodded. Cat smiled warmly at the girl, and then left, still wondering at the unspoken wariness in those deep blue eyes.

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Cat made sure she was home early, and tried not to pace the hallway while she waited for Carter to arrive. Hearing the door open, she headed around the corner and grabbed her boy into a tight hug. A kiss on the cheek made him squirm uncomfortably, and she laughed and said, "Sorry. I couldn't help myself. How was your week?"

"It was okay, mom, but I would rather have been here." Cat forced herself not to smile at his comment. As difficult as her own relationship with Carter's father had been, she knew it was important for Carter to spend time with him. She was just glad he was home.

The two chatted about Carter's experiences while Cat prepared dinner. She loved this boy so very much. While she wished she could somehow pack Carter in bubble wrap and protect him from everything in the world, she was intensely proud of the young man he'd become. He was reaching a point in his life where she could no longer express that to him, and she dreaded the day that her hugs would no longer be welcomed. They would get through it, though. She would do anything for her son.

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After Carter had managed to nearly demolish an entire shepherd's pie, Cat put down her fork and said, "Carter, I need to talk with you about something."

Carter looked up at his mom. This sounded important.

"Carter, how would you feel about me seeing someone?" Cat was tense. If Carter didn't respond well, it could be devastating. Carter would always come first.

"Well, I guess it's up to you," Carter mused. "I mean, it's your life. What I think doesn't really matter."

Cat frowned. That did not sound encouraging. "But you aren't pleased about it," she speculated.

"Well, it's really not my decision. I mean, I'm almost a grownup. You get to have your own life too."

Cat preferred not to think about the fact that Carter would be an adult soon. She knew it was inevitable, but she couldn't bear the thought of letting him go. But right now, she needed to get to the bottom of this. "Carter, your opinion is more important to me than anything in the world. And if this isn't something you're comfortable with, then it's not going to happen, period." She paused, then asked gently, "Will you tell me what you're thinking? Please?"

Carter hesitated. "Mom, it's just that… when you've been in relationships, you don't always do it for the right reasons, or pick the right people. Like, you dated Max Lord because your mom thought you needed to be with someone. And he was kind of a jerk."

Cat badly wanted to respond to that, but she knew that she had to hear the boy out. When Carter spoke, he was slow and deliberate, choosing his words carefully. She owed it to him to let him finish. Plus… everything he'd said so far had been completely true.

"When you really care about someone," Carter continued, "you push them away. The people you date are the ones you don't feel that strongly about. You think that way it won't hurt as much when things go bad. But every time a relationship ends, you feel a little worse about yourself. I hate seeing you go through that."

Carter had delivered his speech while staring down at his empty plate, slightly embarrassed. Now, he sat in silence, scraping a few crumbs with his fork. Cat watched him for a moment, amazed by how perceptive he was. "I think you know me better than I know myself," she commented quietly. "But Carter, is it possible that this time could be different?"

Carter shook his head. "No. It won't," he answered flatly.

"Why do you say that?"

Carter looked her in the eyes finally, and she could see the concern and devotion in them. "Because, mom, there's only one person you're in love with, and you would never date Kara. So whoever this guy is, you're lying to yourself if you think he's right for you."

Cat was speechless. After staring at Carter for a moment, she murmured, "Why do I pay so much money for therapy when you have all the answers already?" She paused, then asked slowly, "Why wouldn't I date Kara?"

"You're her boss, and you'd worry that you'd be taking advantage of her. But mostly, you'd be too afraid of hurting her, or getting hurt. I can't see you taking that chance."

"Carter…" She exhaled, marveling at this sweet, amazing boy. "You are way too smart for your own good. But I think… maybe I'm ready to take that chance."

She saw realization dawn on him, followed by surprise and hope. "Mom, it's Kara?"

Cat smiled slightly, and then answered, "Well, that depends on you, darling. If you're okay with it, I'd like to try."

Carter grinned widely, and jumped out of his chair to give her a hug. "I like Kara a lot. And I love you. Mom, I'm so happy for you. I really want this to work."

Cat's heart melted at his declaration, and she felt like all of the tension was draining out of her shoulders. "So you're really okay with this?"

"More than okay," Carter responded, still smiling. "She's perfect for you."

And with those words, Cat felt like she could handle anything.


	11. Chapter 11

After dinner, Cat retired to her office to send a couple of emails, while Carter settled in the living room to watch television. The two had plans for a night of board games and conversation, but Cat needed to get a couple of things done first.

Cat allowed herself a moment to text Kara. "It's so good to see Carter, but I miss you. How are you doing?" When she did not immediately hear back, she frowned, and then moved on to other things. Kara was busy. The girl would respond when she could.

She quickly typed out her first email, and was about to start on the second when she heard Carter shout, "Mom! Come here!" At the panic in his voice, Cat froze, terrified, then ran toward the living room.

"Something happened to Kara," Carter said, fear in his eyes.

"What? How do you know?"

Carter pointed to the television, where the headline said, "Supergirl Missing." Cat gasped and sank into the sofa before realizing what Carter had said. Her half-hearted denial would have been far more convincing if she hadn't been frozen in terror. Carter looked at her and said simply, "Mom. Not now."

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Kara had been about to leave work when she got the call. She and Alex were planning on a night of ice cream and Netflix, and she was absolutely looking forward to it. What better way to spend a Friday night? She had limited her occasional thoughts about Cat's evening with Carter to no more than once every twenty seconds or so. She was glad the woman was able to spend time with her son, but she worried that Cat would be too embarrassed to tell him about Kara, or that Carter would not approve.

The call from Lucy alerted Kara to a small boat that was stranded twenty miles away. She agreed to tug the boat into the harbor before going home, and Lucy sent her the coordinates. She flew from the CatCo roof, and was there in no time. She landed on the boat to greet the captain and devise a plan, but was suddenly hit with a wave of nausea. As she sank to the deck, she spotted a smiling man that she recognized as one of Max Lord's henchmen. "Not enjoying our hospitality?" he inquired sweetly.

In her weakened state, Kara was unable to put up much resistance as he wrapped her body in chains laced with Kryptonite. "Have a good swim!" he said, then tossed her overboard. Kara managed to gasp in some air before descending, but then felt herself sinking to the bottom of the ocean, unable to do anything about it. The boat sped away quickly.

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Lucy was getting ready to leave for the day, but she waited in the command center to make sure that Kara's rescue was complete. She watched the dot showing Kara's location approach the ship, then stop moving as she boarded the stranded vessel. Suddenly, it disappeared. She blinked her eyes in confusion, and then checked to make sure that the system was still online. It was working fine, but there was no sign of Kara. With a growing sense of dread, she called Hank.

"There's something wrong with Supergirl. Her tracker just disappeared."

"Let's not take any chances. Get every aircraft and boat that we have to her last known coordinates. Hopefully, her tracker just ran out of batteries, but I don't like the look of this."

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Cat grabbed Carter's hand as she stared at the television, sheer terror in her eyes. Carter tried his best to calm his mother down. "Mom, she's been in trouble before, and she always survives. She'll be okay. I have faith in her." But faith wasn't going to comfort Cat right now. The two watched as choppers swept the scene, and they saw divers entering the water with searchlights. They waited, hardly able to breathe, until they saw a commotion on the water's surface and the divers emerged holding Kara's unmoving body. Supergirl was immediately lifted into a helicopter and flown away.

Cat continued to stare blankly at the screen. She had no idea that tears were running down her face until Carter came back with a washcloth and a towel. He ran the cloth over her face, wiping away the tear tracks, and then dried her face with the towel. He brought a box of tissues over, and sat down to hold her hand again. "She'll be okay, mom. I know it."

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Alex stared at her sister's pale face as Supergirl was pulled into the helicopter. She was panicked. "Kara, come back to me! Please! Damn it, I need you!" She worked with several other doctors, trying frantically to get the superhero to breathe. Finally, Kara coughed weakly, and they rolled her onto her side as she began to expel all of the seawater from her lungs. Alex sagged in relief as she realized how close she had come to losing her sister.

When the helicopter landed, Alex pushed Kara's gurney into the DEO treatment center and hooked her up to pretty much every machine they owned, desperate to make sure that she was okay. Kara was not yet conscious, but she was stable. Lucy grabbed Alex into a strong, comforting hug. "She's okay now, Alex. It's okay," Lucy murmured. Alex couldn't stop the tears from falling, and Lucy just held her tightly.

After a few minutes, Alex took a deep breath and let go. Looking at Lucy, she said, "I should probably call Cat. She must be completely freaking out by now. Do you have her number?"

"Of course," Lucy said. She smiled, and continued, "But after you talk to her, I want every last juicy detail about those two. You're holding out on me."

Alex laughed, and said, "You can interrogate me later." She grabbed her phone and let Lucy program in the number. "You have an extra Hawk we can send to pick her up, or do we need to send a car? Kara's going to ask for her, and I suspect we won't be able to keep Cat away from her superhero."

"I'll take care of it," Lucy said, smiling.

Alex dialed Cat's number. She was somewhat surprised to hear a young male voice answer the phone. "Hi, um, I'm looking for Cat Grant?"

"Yeah, this is Carter. Hold on."

Cat had not moved from her spot on the couch. Eventually, Carter got tired of waiting and answered the phone himself.

Carter's voice said, "Okay, you're on speaker. Who is this?"

"This is Alex Danvers. Cat, she's okay."

Cat let out a breath that turned into a sob, and she covered her face as the tears started flowing again. She took a shaky breath, and then said, "Thank God." Timidly, she asked, "When can I see her?"

"Well, do you hear the Blackhawk yet?" Alex asked. "It's on its way."

"Alex… Thank you," Cat said weakly.

Carter chimed in. "Um, can I come too? Because I'm not supposed to be home alone."

Alex laughed. The kid was a forty-year-old in a teenage body. "Sure. See you soon." She went to inform Hank about the impending breach of regulations.


	12. Chapter 12

Cat ran into the DEO facility, pulling Carter along beside her. She spotted Lucy at the entrance. "Where is she?"

Lucy smiled. "Good to see you too, Cat." Taking in the woman's red-rimmed eyes and pale features, Lucy took pity on her. "Follow me." She led the visitors to the treatment area. Through the windows, they could see a sleeping Kara, attached to a wide range of machines that were monitoring everything from heart rate to brain activity. Cat took a shaky breath, and Carter squeezed her hand tightly.

Alex was in the room, adjusting some of Kara's sensors, but when she spotted Cat and Carter, she came out to greet them. Before saying a word, Alex grabbed Cat in a tight hug. In a shaky voice, Alex said, "Cat, I was so scared."

Cat hugged Alex back just as fiercely. "I know, Alex. I know. She's safe now."

Lucy watched, fascinated. When had these two become so close? She turned and saw Carter, his face pressed up to the glass, surveying the equipment in the room, and muttering to himself quietly. "Cool. That machine is mapping her brain activity. And this one has a 3-D rendering of her heart. There's blood pressure, and pulse rate, and oxygen level. I wonder what that one does. It looks like a seismograph."

Lucy smiled. "Carter, do you want to see Supergirl's spaceship?" At his awed look, she beckoned him forward, and led him down the hallway. "Do you know how far she traveled to get here?" she asked, and as they turned the corner he was trying to estimate the answer to her question.

Cat's eyes softened as she watched the exchange. Lucy had appointed herself as babysitter, and would keep Carter occupied for a while. She turned to Alex. "Can I go in there?" Alex nodded.

Cat sank into a chair next to Kara. Placing her hands on the hero's arm, she opened her mouth to say something, and then just lowered her head onto Kara's lap and sobbed. After a few minutes, she felt Alex's hand on her back. Alex pulled up a chair next to her, and began talking quietly. "Cat, she's so brave. I hate it sometimes, but that's just who she is. She sees a situation, and she needs to help. That leaves her so vulnerable." Alex sighed. "I wish I could keep her out of danger. For a long time, we had convinced her not to use her powers, and it kept her safe. But then, once she came out as Supergirl, and realized how much she could help people, there was no hope of changing her mind."

Cat turned to Alex. "What made her come out? Why did she save that plane?"

Alex responded, "I was on it."

Cat smiled weakly. "Of course." Nothing more needed to be said. Both women understood that Kara wouldn't have had a choice. The two women fell into a comfortable silence, watching Kara sleep.

Eventually Cat said quietly, "Alex? What am I doing?"

Alex looked at her. "You're in love," she said simply. She hesitated, knowing that her friend needed reassurance. "Cat," she asked, "what do YOU want?"

Cat just shook her head. "I love her with all my heart. I want her to be happy. And I think that means not being with me."

Alex responded, "Okay, but imagine the situation was reversed. You were desperately in love with someone, but they refused to be with you because they were convinced they were going to hurt you. Wouldn't you feel like it was unfair of them to make that choice for you? Wouldn't you want to decide that for yourself?"

She leaned forward, looking at Cat. "Cat, she knows you better than you know yourself. Don't you think she knows how scared you are? Don't you think she understands how much the two of you could hurt each other? Kara has thought about all of that. She's not as naïve as you think. And she's decided that whatever the risks are, they're worth it. She's decided that YOU'RE worth it, and she's not going to give up on you. And I think you owe it to her to respect her decision."

Alex paused, and then said softly, "Cat, if you're ever going to trust anyone with your heart… it should be Kara."

Cat sat in silence, thinking about what Alex had said. Alex was right: she had been trying to take the decision away from Kara. And that wasn't fair to the younger woman. She needed to have faith in the woman she loved. It wouldn't be easy, but Cat would need to trust Kara.

Eventually, Cat spoke. "You know, Alex, this isn't exactly the big sister talk you're supposed to give."

Alex smiled. "Well, she's not exactly a typical sister. And you're not a typical girlfriend." She looked at Cat seriously. "I really want things to work out for the two of you. I think you're exactly right for each other. And I think you both deserve to be happy." After a moment, she laughed. "But if you ever hurt her, I reserve the right to come kill you in your sleep."

Cat smiled. "That's fair."

Just then, the superhero stirred. Alex stood up to look over the patient. Kara's eyes flickered open, and she spotted her sister. "Alex?"

"I'm right here, Kara. You're safe. We've got you."

"I'm sorry, Alex. They had kryptonite. It was one of Max Lord's guys. They tied me in chains and threw me over. I couldn't get out."

Cat paled. Alex stood stock still, but Cat could see her body tense. "Kara, it's okay," Alex insisted. "You're okay now. You just need to rest."

"Alex… Could I… could you get me my phone so I can talk to Cat? If she's not too busy with Carter? I just don't want her to see something on the news and get worried. And I'd really like to hear her voice," Kara said in a small voice.

Alex turned to Cat, smiling, and said, "I guess that's your cue." She left the room to deal with the Max Lord information.

Cat stood over the superhero, and Kara immediately tried to sit up. Cat said, "Shh. Stay still." She climbed up next to Kara on the bed, moving carefully to avoid any wires. She lay down next to Kara and wrapped her arms around the girl, then kissed her forehead. "I'm right here. You couldn't possibly keep me away right now. I'm just going to stay here with you for a while, okay?" Kara smiled, and sank into the embrace, closing her eyes.

When Lucy and Carter returned, the two women were still entwined on the bed. Lucy's heart melted at the adorable sight, and Carter's face shone with happiness.


	13. Chapter 13

"Alex, you can't just go kill Max Lord." Hank glared at her sternly.

"Hank – Director Henshaw – he tried to murder my sister," Alex said, loading her gun. As far as she was concerned, that was the end of the discussion.

"We don't know that. We only know that someone who works for Max was involved. The man is already in custody. You can question him if you want, as long as you promise not to touch him. But he's not saying much."

The two were standing in the DEO control center. Alex had finally brought Supergirl home after several hours under the sun lamps, and then returned to deal with Max Lord. She was pacing rapidly, trying to contain her pent-up anger.

"Hank, I need to do something! This is my baby sister, and he… he threw her into the ocean wrapped in chains! He tried to kill her! Jesus, if Lucy hadn't been here…" She shuddered.

Lucy walked over, took Alex's arm, and guided her to a chair. "Alex. Look at me. You are in no condition to deal with Lord or anyone else. Try to calm down so we can figure out a plan, okay?" She turned to Hank. "Has there been any lead on the boat, or the distress call?"

Hank shook his head. "Not yet. Vasquez is working on that angle."

Alex said desperately, "Lucy, I need to do something. I can't just sit here!"

Hank turned to Alex. "You want to make yourself useful? Go spend the day with your sister. I'm sure she could use the company."

Alex shook her head. "Cat's on superhero duty today. They definitely won't want me there."

"Fine, then work with Vasquez. Once we find something on this boat, maybe we can connect the dots."

Lucy said, "There's another question we need answered too. How did Max get access to Kryptonite?"

Alex's eyes widened. She hadn't even considered the fact that Max now had Kryptonite. The last thing she knew, he had accidentally created Red Kryptonite in his attempts to produce the substance. Apparently his research had advanced, or someone had given it to him. She nodded grimly. "Let's get to work."

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Kara had just been dropped off at her apartment when she received a text from Cat. "What are you doing today?"

It was Saturday, and the week had been far too busy for Kara to think about any weekend plans. Given her state of exhaustion, she wasn't sure she would have been able to keep them anyway. She quickly responded, "Nothing, why?"

The answer came quickly. "I'm coming in an hour. You don't need to do anything; just let me in."

Kara smiled, and responded, "Anytime." She took a shower to wash off the residue from her nighttime swim, and pulled on jeans and a t-shirt. It occurred to her that maybe she should think about getting some more stylish clothing if she was going to be spending time with Cat. That thought was completely overwhelming, so she stuck with her original outfit.

Precisely an hour later, she heard Cat approaching her door, and answered just as the woman was reaching up to knock. Technically, Cat was also wearing jeans and a t-shirt, but she somehow managed to make the outfit look stylish and fashionable. Kara's heart stopped at the gorgeous sight in front of her, but Cat stepped forward and pulled her into a crushing hug. The two women stood there for a minute, just holding each other. Cat took a shaky breath, and then stepped inside. "Kara, you need to stop scaring me like that."

Kara immediately started apologizing, and Cat rolled her eyes. "Kara, you didn't do anything wrong. Relax. I'm just so glad you're okay." She linked her hand with Kara's. "Have you eaten?"

Kara nodded. Alex had taken her out for a late breakfast on her way home.

"Good. Then I thought maybe if you're up to it, we could just take a walk in the park across the street for a while? You could use some more sun, and it will give us a chance to talk."

Kara agreed, "That sounds good. But where's Carter?" Cat noticed that she actually sounded slightly disappointed when she asked the question.

"He had plans with his friend Jamie for a few hours. I'll pick him up later."

"Oh." There it was again, that dejected look on Kara's face. Cat needed to talk with Kara about Carter anyway, but she suspected there was something Kara needed to express first. She waited until they had left the building and crossed the street, and then got right to the point. "Kara, did you want Carter to come?"

"No, Cat, it's okay. I don't want to take up his time, or yours when he's with you. I wouldn't want to interfere."

Cat just looked at Kara, waiting for her to elaborate. Kara couldn't help it; the torrent of words would begin momentarily. Sure enough, Kara soon continued, "I guess I was just hoping that maybe we could all spend some time together. I kind of wanted to do stuff with you and Carter, get to know both of you better, and hopefully make him comfortable around me. But if you don't want to tell him about us, or you want to keep the parts of your life separate, or he just doesn't want to spend time with me, I completely understand. I don't know if you even want him to know about us, or if there even is an 'us'. Maybe you changed your mind, and you don't really want this anymore, or maybe you realized it won't work with Carter, or last night scared you, or…"

As adorable as her insecurity was, Cat needed to cut the poor girl off before she started offering to relocate to Timbuktu to give Cat more space.

"Kara." She waited until Kara's voice had trailed off into silence. "I talked to Carter about the idea of me seeing someone last night. That's one of the reasons I didn't want you to come over; I thought it would be better to talk with him first."

"Oh," said Kara uncertainly, not knowing whether this was good or bad.

"He was very upset at the idea of me being in a relationship," Cat said, unable to resist dragging this out a little bit.

"He was?"

Kara looked so despondent that Cat started to feel a little bit guilty for her approach. Nonetheless, she continued, "Yes, he told me that he hated seeing me date someone that I wasn't in love with. He said the only person I'm in love with is Kara, but I would never date her. So whoever it was, he felt I was making the wrong choice."

"He… he didn't want… he said you're… in love with Kara? Me?" Kara's face was in turmoil. "He thought you were making the wrong choice… to date someone other than me?" Hope started to creep into her eyes.

Cat laughed. "Yes, Kara. He likes you a lot. He's so excited."

Kara's face lit up with a wide, beaming smile. "Really?"

Smiling, Cat said, "Yes. He wanted to know if the three of us could spend time together later, and I told him I didn't know whether you'd be feeling up to it. And by the way, apparently he figured out that you were Supergirl long before I did. That boy is a better journalist than me."

Kara's face showed a momentary flicker of panic at the Supergirl revelation, but it couldn't compete with her elation at finding out that Carter approved. Carter liked her! Carter wanted to spend time with her. "Yes! Of course, yes! I would love to spend time with both of you. Cat… I'm so happy."

Cat stopped walking. She turned, pulled Kara into her arms, and kissed her. The kiss was soft, caring, and gentle. She took her time, channeling the relief she felt at Kara's love for Carter, her gratefulness for last night's rescue, and how happy she was to have Kara in her life. By the time she finally stepped back, both women were feeling a little unsteady on their feet. "Wow," Kara breathed softly.

Cat laughed. "Sorry, that was probably a little too intense for you today."

Kara heard Cat's voice, but was unable to process the words, still reeling from the kiss that dwarfed anything she'd ever experienced. Eventually she realized what Cat had said, and shook her head. "I'm feeling really, really great right now," she answered with a dazed smile.

Cat laughed. "Okay, but let's find somewhere to sit before exhaustion catches up with you.' She gestured Kara toward a bench. "How do you feel about dinner and a movie with me and Carter tonight?"

Kara grinned. "That sounds amazing."

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Kara spent the rest of the day with Cat. The two of them talked for hours. Kara acknowledged that she'd been terrified that Carter wouldn't like her, or that Cat wouldn't be willing to share the news with him. Cat, in return, admitted that she was afraid the idea of a teenage boy would scare Kara away. She was relieved to see that Kara genuinely liked Carter, and was actually looking forward to spending time with him. No one that she had dated had ever shown any real interest in her son. It reminded her of just how insightful Carter's comments about her relationships had been, and gave her hope that maybe, just maybe, this could work.

Cat also brought up the question of whom they should tell about their relationship. That was a far less satisfying conversation. Kara's immediate reaction, of course, was to insist that she didn't care who found out. "Cat, I'm not ashamed of you. I'm not going to hide the best thing that's happened to me in… maybe… ever."

Cat wished she could share the hero's carefree optimism. "Kara, it's not that simple. I'm your boss. I just promoted you. How do you think that people are going to view that promotion if they find out we are in a relationship?"

"But that has nothing to do with anything! Can't we just show them how happy we are?"

Cat sighed. It was hard for Supergirl to accept that the straightforward, honest approach wasn't always a great idea. Kara wouldn't be able to punch through a wall and fix this problem. Cat wished she could make it easier for the girl, but this was a harsh reality of life. "Kara, you know that most people won't look beyond the cliché. And I will not have people attacking your credentials because of who you're with. I'm not going to do that to your career. You deserve better than that."

Kara's shoulders slumped. "I just want people to understand. It's not like that. This was my idea, not yours. How can this possibly work if no one can ever know? Maybe I should just quit. Then people can't judge you."

"Kara, how about we take this one step at a time. Let's give it a few weeks to see how it's going, okay? Let's get used to this ourselves before we let other people start judging us. Can you live with that?"

"I guess so," Kara said sadly.

That would have to be good enough for now.

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The rest of the weekend went quickly. Kara spent Saturday evening with Cat and Carter, debating the merits of Batman's superhero status. Kara asserted that Batman was not a real superhero, while Cat and Carter argued that it was intent, not powers, that determined whether one was a superhero. Kara pointed out that, by that logic, Cat was a superhero as well, for her determination to change the world. Carter agreed that she could qualify, but only if she got some high-tech gadgets, because what is a superhero without cool tricks? He suggested they ask people at the DEO for some help. Cat looked between the two of them wordlessly, a soft smile on her face.

That night, Kara arrived home to discover Alex already waiting on her couch. Alex spent the next two nights with her sister in Kara's bed, wanting badly to be there when the nightmares hit. In between, they spent the day on Sunday catching up on TV series and eating a ridiculous amount of ice cream.

Kara knew that Alex and Cat must be coordinating to make sure Kara wasn't alone. Rather than being annoyed at the maneuverings, however, she felt comforted by their love. She hadn't wanted to ask Cat if she could stay there, with Carter in the house, so she was relieved that Alex had taken matters into her own hands.


	14. Chapter 14

By Monday morning, Kara's body had recovered, and she was almost back in peak form. She had even slept fairly well, despite the nightmares that were still creeping in. However, Kara hadn't seen Cat since Saturday, and she was suffering from withdrawal. She picked up a latte from Noonan's as an excuse to visit her girlfriend. As she approached Cat's office, she froze. Standing there, next to the office door, was Maxwell Lord.

Max spotted Kara immediately, and smiled widely. "Well, if it isn't former assistant Kara Danvers!" he exclaimed in a syrupy-sweet voice. "I'm sorry, what's your new role now? Junior Reporter?" He emphasized the 'junior' to make her position sound belittling.

Kara felt ill. CatCo was her place. Cat was HERS. What was this monster doing here?

She was saved from having to respond by the arrival of Cat Grant herself. Stepping out of the elevator, Cat's eyes immediately sought Kara, and they lit up until she noticed where Kara's gaze was focused. Spotting Max, Cat's half-smile turned into a sneer, and her eyes grew cold and focused. "Max, what a pleasant surprise," she commented in a voice that conveyed exactly the opposite.

"Cat, I'm sorry to interrupt your schedule, but I was hoping we could chat," Max said sweetly.

Cat's murderous gaze gave a clear answer, but she responded, just as sweetly, "I'm sorry, Max, but I believe I have a meeting with my newest reporter right now. You'll have to schedule an appointment." She spun away and waved Kara into her office.

As Cat and Kara entered the office, Max smiled and said, "Well, that's perfect, actually. She should hear this too." He stepped into the office and closed the door, smiling blandly at the furious faces of the two women.

"Dearest Cat, I know we have a rather… intimate past," he said, drawing out the word intimate so that there was no question about his meaning, "but I will not allow you to leave unprovoked threats on my voicemail. Nor do I appreciate your attempts to frighten me with threats of exposes. Now, I don't know what made you so upset, but I'm sure we can work this out like civilized people. Maybe over… dinner tomorrow night?"

Kara snapped. The fact that this was all news to her was not important right now. What mattered was that Max was insinuating that he had done nothing wrong, not to mention asking Cat to dinner right in front of her. "Unprovoked?" she blurted angrily. "You tried to kill m… Supergirl. You are scum, and you deserve whatever is coming to you. And now you have the nerve to ask her out to dinner? With you?" Kara's anger was rising, and she could feel her control starting to wane.

Cat quickly walked over to Kara to put a steadying hand on her arm. She saw Max observe the gesture with interest, and knew that she had given him more information about her connection with Kara. He would try to use that against them, she had no doubt. Still, she stood by her threats. Nobody messed with Cat Grant.

"Kara, I'm sure that Max knows how I feel about his… invitation," she said smoothly. "And I believe my voicemails made it clear how I feel about the rest of Max's activities. I don't see a need to continue this conversation any further." She picked up the phone and dialed security. "Yes, could you please escort Max Lord from my office? He seems to have lost his way."

Max sneered. "That's a shame, Cat. I really wanted to get to know your son – Carter, right? Is he thirteen now? I always worry about the teenage years. So many bad things can happen. I certainly hope he's okay. National City is a dangerous place."

Cat's face turned pale, and Kara surged forward to grab Max's collar. Max held up his hands. "Don't worry, I'm just leaving," he said, edging out of the office.

The two woman stared in silence as Max left the floor. Kara was fuming, and began to pace the office angrily, her hands clenched into fists. Cat hadn't moved an inch, and her face was still completely devoid of color. "Ca – Ms. Grant," Kara began, and Cat quickly shook her head.

"Balcony," she said simply. That would save them from the prying glances of her curious employees. Sometimes the glass walls of her office were inconvenient.

Kara nodded, and the two headed outside. When the door had closed, she spun to Cat and demanded, "What were you thinking? Threatening Max Lord? Do you have any idea what that man is capable of?"

Cat said angrily, "I was thinking that he tried to kill you. You almost died." Her voice broke slightly, and she continued in a whisper. "I was thinking that if he was going to try to take you away from me, he was going to pay. I can't lose you."

At the sound of Cat's voice breaking, Kara's anger melted away, and the underlying fear surfaced. She took a shaky breath, and spoke softly. "Cat, he's killed people. For his stupid, deranged science experiments. He thinks he's above the law. He doesn't care about right and wrong. He only cares about what's good for Max Lord. And now he knows that you matter to me. You think he won't go after you and Carter? You think he won't kill your son just to hurt you?"

Kara walked over to the edge of the balcony and grasped the railing, as if she was trying to get as far away from Cat as possible. "This is why I shouldn't be with anyone. I put them in danger." In a desperate voice, Kara said, "I can't put you and Carter in danger."

Cat closed her eyes. "Kara, I'm sorry. I was just so angry, and I'm not used to waiting for other people to fight my battles."

"This is not your battle, Cat!"

"You," Cat said quietly, "are always my battle. I love you."

Kara took a shuddering breath as tears ran down her face. Why had she thought this could work? It was too dangerous for her to get close to anyone. She couldn't allow this to happen. She needed to put an end to this, before Cat got hurt. "I can't do this. Not if it puts you in danger. Cat, we need to end this."

Cat froze. The knife of fear that laced through her gut had her nearly doubling over in pain. This was it. How had she not seen this coming? The deafening roar in her ears was interrupted only by echoes of Kara's words. _"_ _Cat, we need to end this."_ She felt herself closing off, shutting down and trying to preserve what was left of her shattered heart.

Then she thought about Carter's excited face. She remembered Alex's words, telling her that if she was going to trust anyone with her heart, it should be Kara. And she thought about Kara; beautiful, sweet Kara; whom she could never stop loving if her life depended on it.

"No," she said softly. "Kara, no."

Kara looked at her, despondent. "I love you, Cat. I love you too much to let him hurt you."

Cat hesitated a moment, wanting to make sure her words were exactly right. She couldn't screw this up. "Then let's stop him together," she said softly. She stepped closer to the superhero, and touched her hand to Kara's face. "You don't get to make those decisions for me anymore, Kara. You have to trust me. You have to believe me when I say that we are in this together. I'm in this way too deep to let you go now. Don't you dare back away from me. I'm not letting you go. Don't you dare give up on us."

Kara's shoulders crumpled. Cat was right. As much as she wanted to protect the older woman, she wasn't being fair. It wasn't just her decision to make anymore. And she knew that she wouldn't be able to let Cat go, no matter what. After a moment, she whispered, "You're right. I'm sorry. I'm just so afraid." She stood there for a moment, then walked over to wrap her arms around the older woman. They stood in silence, comforting each other.

She took a deep breath. "But Cat," she said, "please don't take him on alone. We need to do this together. With Alex and the DEO. Okay?"

Cat nodded. "I'll call Alex and schedule a meeting for all of us." They were a team. She needed to remember that. "Kara, I can't lose you," she said desperately.

"I know, Cat. I can't lose you either."


	15. Chapter 15

Cat and Alex decided that the five of them – Kara, Cat, Alex, Lucy, and Hank – should meet that evening at the DEO to talk about the situation. Carter was home with his nanny, but Alex insisted on placing two agents there as well, just in case. Cat agreed willingly. She would take no chances with her son.

Cat had initially panicked when she realized that she had no way to get there. She couldn't exactly tell her driver to leave her at the hidden government building in the middle of the desert. She texted Alex for directions, but got back a "LOL. If you're nice to her, maybe a superhero will be willing to drop you off." Cat rolled her eyes at her own foolishness. She was still getting used to the perks of dating a superhero.

With that thought, Cat paused. Was she actually 'dating' Kara? They were obviously in a relationship, but there had been no actual dates, unless she counted Saturday's walk in the park or dinner and a movie with Carter. That really needed to change. As wonderful as their time together had been, Kara deserved more. Kara deserved romance, and candles, and diamonds, and anything else the young woman could possibly desire. Cat wanted to give Kara everything. She needed to get her act together, and plan a date.

Just before 5 p.m., Kara came to her office, and led her to Cat's private elevator. Cat was surprised to see Kara hit the 'up' arrow, until she realized that the hero was sending her to the roof. Kara used the public elevator, and met her on the rooftop. The hero had already changed into her Supergirl outfit.

"So… " Cat said hesitantly, a little nervous at the idea of flying without a parachute. "How do we do this?"

Kara could see the older woman's trepidation. She embraced Cat, wrapping her arms tightly around the woman, and leaned in for a gentle, soothing kiss. Cat closed her eyes and reveled in the contact. When the kiss ended, Kara murmured, with their lips still touching, "Like this."

Cat opened her eyes and realized that they were floating about ten feet above the rooftop. "Wow," she breathed. "If I knew that flying felt like this, I would've asked you months ago." She kissed Kara back, just as slowly and gently.

The hero smiled. "If you distract me, we'll never get there."

Cat laughed. "Don't tempt me." But she settled in for the ride, enjoying the strength and security of Kara's embrace.

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"So it appears that a small amount of Kryptonite is missing from our vault. Max must have gotten a hold of it somehow. Alex has been looking through security footage to figure out who what happened. But the amount that was on those chains – that was far more than the little bit that's missing from our storage. Apparently, he has figured out how to manufacture it," Hank said wearily.

"Wait, hold on," Cat said angrily. "You just leave this stuff lying around here?"

"Cat, we need a way to protect ourselves from the other Kryptonians," Lucy explained. "They aren't all as noble as Kara. And we need it to help Kara, too. How else could we draw blood from a Kryptonian? How else can agents train with her? It has its uses."

"Plus," Alex added, "we'd rather have it here than somewhere outside the DEO. At least here we can keep an eye on it."

Cat nodded reluctantly. That made sense.

Hank continued, "We're having no luck tracing the origin of the boat. It appears that someone has wiped the records of the rental company they used. We have our best people working on it, but we haven't retrieved anything yet."

Kara suggested, "CatCo has a computer genius you could probably borrow. I'm sure Winn would love to help."

Cat agreed readily. She would give anything to help Kara – devote her entire company's resources, or spend her vast fortune. Lending one IT guy was nothing.

"All right. Let's get him in here," Hank declared. "And let's tie him to the attack."

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After their meeting had concluded, Kara flew Cat to her apartment balcony. Not wanting to take any chances, she made Cat wait for a moment while she scanned the place, and was surprised to discover that no one was home. Noticing Kara's confusion, Cat said, "Carter's at his nanny's place for the night. He stays there sometimes, if I'm going to be out late. She lives a few floors down." She smiled. "Carter loves it. She lets him have ice cream before bed."

Kara was confused. "But… you're not out late."

Cat laughed. "No, I'm not." She took a deep breath. "Kara… ever since this thing between us started, we haven't even been on a date. So… will you have dinner with me? We wouldn't actually be going anywhere, but I'd still like to think of it as our first date."

Kara's eyes opened wide, and a blush crept into her cheeks. "Cat, you don't need to do this. I've loved spending time with you. I don't need fancy dinners or dates or anything at all, other than you." In truth, the thought of a date with Cat terrified her. Within minutes, the Queen of All Media would realize that Kara was in way over her head.

"Kara," Cat responded. "Everyone needs to experience a little romance. You, more than anyone, need to know how special you are. Let me give you this. Have dinner with me. Please."

She led the girl into the apartment. "Alex packed a bag for you. There are clothes for you to change into, and an outfit for tomorrow if you want to stay overnight."

Kara was speechless for a moment, then shook her head. "I knew the two of you were conspiring against me." She couldn't suppress a smile at the thought.

"Guilty as charged," Cat said, smiling back. She handed Kara the bag Alex had packed. "Go get changed, and meet me in the dining room."

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The evening was perfect. Alex had apparently packed a tight, curvy blue dress that displayed Kara's gorgeous body and toned limbs, and when she walked into the room, Cat's breath caught in her throat at the sight. She was torn between cursing Alex for the revealing outfit and sending her a bouquet of flowers in thanks. Meanwhile, the look on Kara's face upon seeing Cat's own white sleeveless dress sent a flash of heat through Cat's entire body. The love and desire that filled Kara's eyes made Cat want to kiss every inch of that perfect body, and never let go.

Cat had lowered the lights and lit candles to set the mood, and she hoped that the lighting was dim enough to hide some of the raw desire from showing in her eyes. She didn't want to overwhelm Kara. As the two women stood staring at each other, Kara said hesitantly, "Do I look okay?"

Cat walked over to Kara, grasped her hand, and kissed each of her knuckles softly. "Kara, you look breathtaking. Please, sit down," she said. The doorbell rang, and Cat continued, "I'll be right back." Kara sank into a chair, afraid that her knees wouldn't hold her up any longer, and tried to calm her racing heart.

After a moment, Cat returned with two large paper bags, and began emptying the contents onto the table. Kara's eyes fell open in shock as Cat began pulling out container after container of Chinese food. Cat emptied each container into a bowl, and explained, "I ordered all of your favorites. Alex told me to make sure I put in a double-order of potstickers. And she said this would be enough food, but if you're still hungry afterward, I just need to call and they'll put another order together right away."

"Cat…" Kara said weakly. When she had seen the candles and lighting, she'd assumed that Cat had planned an elegant meal involving foods whose names she couldn't pronounce. She would have willingly endured the experience, because it would be worth it to be with Cat, but the thought terrified her. Cat was so worldly, and Kara knew she couldn't possibly keep up.

But Cat knew her too well. Cat understood that expensive foods and elegant dining were not what Kara wanted. Cat asked Alex for Kara's favorites, and understood exactly what would make Kara happiest. It was overwhelming.

Eyes shining with love, Kara said, "You planned a romantic dinner for the two of us. You… ordered my favorite foods. You've even been working with my sister to plan this. And you look so beautiful in that dress that I can't stop staring at you. You kissed my hand. I feel… I feel like I'm in a fairy tale, and I'm so afraid I'm going to wake up."

She couldn't stop herself from continuing. "Cat, when you said we should go on a date, I was terrified. I don't know how to do this. I thought you were going to take me to some expensive restaurant, where I would embarrass you. I've never really been in a relationship, and the few dates I've had have been pretty disastrous. I was so scared that you would realize I don't know what I'm doing and be disappointed."

"Kara," Cat said softly, "there's no rule book for dating. There's no right or wrong. Dating is about getting to know someone, finding out what they like, and sharing experiences with them. I've been on a lot of bad dates, and the worst ones usually start in expensive restaurants with tiny portions of food that I don't recognize. When I said that I wanted to take you on a date, I meant that I wanted to show you how much you mean to me, and get to know you better. It's a way for me to do something with you, and show you how special you are to me."

Kara reached across the table, grasped Cat's hand, and kissed her palm lightly. "Thank you," she said simply, unable to find the words to express her gratitude.

Cat shivered at the touch of warm lips to her palm. "Well, I hope you're hungry. There's enough food here to feed all of CatCo." She smiled warmly at Kara, who dug in eagerly.

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Kara did eat a lot. Seeing Cat watching her, a slightly embarrassed Kara said, "Flying burns a lot of calories." Cat smiled and told her she was adorable.

After dinner, Cat took Kara's hand and led her out of the room. As Kara glanced toward the dirty dishes, she said, "Don't you dare. I have someone coming later to clean up. I didn't want to take my attention away from you for a single minute. I have big plans for you tonight."

"You do?" Kara asked hesitantly.

Cat grinned.

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An hour later, the two collapsed on the couch, laughing. Cat said, "Alex was right. You're way too good at Wii Sports."

Kara smiled, and said, "Well, it's not really fair, with my super-speed and all."

"True," Cat acknowledged. "You're a pretty terrible bowler, though." She had never before seen the Wii depict bowling balls flying sideways through the air and cracking the scoreboard, while the characters screamed in fear.

"It's not my fault that the controller thinks I flick my wrist too hard!"

Cat laughed. "It's just good to know I can beat you at something. And I have to admit, you look really sexy when you're frustrated."

Kara blushed slightly, and then said, in a small voice, "I do?"

Cat smiled at the tentative, hopeful tone in Kara's voice. "Yeah, you have this pout where you stick your lower lip out a little, and I just want to kiss you until you forget what you're even pouting about."

Kara said tentatively, "Please don't ever let me stop you from carrying out that threat."

Cat laughed and pulled the hero closer. She put her arms around Kara, and kissed her gently. After a few gentle kisses, though, she could feel her own desire growing, and each successive kiss grew more intense. She parted her lips slightly, running her tongue lightly along the other woman's lips, and as the younger woman's mouth parted in a gasp, Cat slipped her tongue inside Kara's mouth. As she swirled her tongue along Kara's teeth and pressed it gently against the woman's own tongue, she could feel Kara tentatively reciprocating, venturing out to explore Cat's mouth. Cat's soft moan of encouragement was all that Kara needed to keep going.

Two tongues dueled for what seemed like hours, as Cat pulled Kara impossibly close. Their arms began to roam, and Cat ran gentle caresses down the hero's sides and across her stomach. She ghosted a finger across Kara's collarbone, and the young woman shivered in response. She slid her hand down onto Kara's chest, resting it gently on the curve of Kara's breast, and feeling Kara arch into her touch. She worshiped the hero's body, reverently exploring the taut muscles and soft curves of this bulletproof woman. She could do this forever.

As their explorations continued, Cat found herself wanting even more. She slid a hand onto Kara's thigh, inching it slowly upward. She needed contact with Kara's skin. She needed to be closer. She wanted to slowly peel that dress off of Kara and let her mouth follow the trail…

No, this couldn't happen. Not yet. Cat yanked her hand away and broke the kiss. But the disappointment on Kara's face made it impossible for her to let go just yet. She slowly kissed her way down Kara's cheek. She meant for the kiss to be soothing, but soon got distracted, inching further sideways to place kisses on her jaw. She sucked lightly on Kara's earlobe, and nibbled gently, then flicked her tongue across the ear. Kara's sharp intake of breath reminded her that she had been trying to slow things down. She rested her head on Kara's shoulder, trying to calm her racing heart. "Kara… I'm sorry. It's so easy to get carried away with you."

Kara murmured, "I love it when you get carried away." Her face was flushed, and her eyes were desperate with desire.

Cat needed a cold shower to calm her suddenly overheated body, which was demanding more contact with Kara. "No, Kara," she said, with more conviction than she felt. "This is all so new. I want this to last. We need to take it slowly."

Kara nodded. "Okay," she said, pouting slightly.

Cat smiled at the adorable girl. "Let's just stick to kissing. I'll keep my hands in more appropriate locations, okay?"

"I like kissing," Kara responded agreeably.

She spent the rest of the night demonstrating just how true that statement was.


	16. Chapter 16

"Let's hear it, Kara. Every single sordid detail about your date. Leave nothing out."

"Come on, Kara, I need to live vicariously. Not everyone has a smoking hot, sexy girlfriend."

"Not to mention brilliant."

"And rich."

"Oh yeah. FILTHY rich."

Alex and Lucy had cornered Kara in Lucy's office, desperate for details about Kara's date.

Kara's eyes held a faraway gaze. "It was so amazing," she breathed. "So perfect. There were candles, and she was wearing this sleeveless dress and looked so gorgeous that I almost drooled, and she kissed my hand, and she ordered all my favorite foods, and it was just so sweet. Then she beat me at Wii bowling and told me I'm sexy when I'm frustrated, and then she kissed me, like all night long, and she touched me, and I just… I've never felt like that in my entire life."

Alex and Lucy just stared for a moment. Lucy finally broke the silence. "I'm sorry, we're going to need more details on that last part. Like, a LOT more details. Let's go kiss by kiss."

Kara flushed a deep crimson. "Lucy!"

"What? I need to know! For national security purposes! Come on, don't hold anything back. How far did it go? Where, exactly, did she touch you? Was there clothing on at the time? If so, how much?"

Alex took pity on her sister. "Lucy, stop. She's going to die of embarrassment. We can't afford to lose Supergirl."

"That would be a tough press release to write," Lucy acknowledged. Smiling, she said, "I'm just so excited for the two of you!"

Kara smiled happily. "It was so wonderful, Lucy. I was so scared, but it was perfect." She pouted a little. "But she wants to go slowly."

Alex laughed. "Kara, she wants to make sure you're comfortable. She knows this is all so new for you. She doesn't want to rush you." She was so grateful for Cat's caution. She knew that the older woman would make sure things didn't get too intense for Kara, both because of Kara's inexperience and to help Kara learn to harness her powers. Cat knew that Kara would need to remain in control and experience things slowly. This woman was so perfect for Kara.

Kara protested, "I don't mind being rushed. At all!"

Lucy grinned. "It was that good?"

Kara sighed wistfully. "Lucy, I've never felt like that before. Like I was on fire. Like there were sparks every time she touched me. And her hands were so soft, and her fingers were like magic... And… wow, I never knew that kisses could be like that. Her tongue… oh my God, it was amazing. I didn't want it to stop, ever."

"Okay, those are the kind of details I need," Lucy said, nodding with encouragement. "Keep going."

"And I could hear her heart racing, and she had her hand on my thigh, like under my dress, and then she stopped and said we needed to take it slow." Kara frowned, and then brightened again. "But then she kissed me for the rest of the night. ALL night."

Alex finally put a halt to the interrogation. "Enough, Lane. Go read some stories online if you need to live vicariously – I'm sure someone has imagined Cat Grant with Supergirl. Kara has to go back to work."

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"So, I wasn't able to recover anything from the hard drive. It's completely gone. Wiped. Erased." Winn massaged his temples gently, then looked up at the group with a smirk. "But I did manage to trace the source of the virus. Not many people could've done that. Actually, I don't think anyone could have done that, other than me. It was pretty well protected. Like, super-advanced. But, you know, mad skills." He wiggled his fingers with a smug smile.

Hank growled, "Winn."

"Right. Sorry. So I traced it. It came from a computer in Max Lord's lab."

"Winn, you're amazing," Lucy said. "Great work."

Cat agreed. "Better than your usual performance. If only you worked this hard in my office."

"Cat!" Kara protested. "Don't be mean!"

"All right, fine," Cat conceded grumpily. You do good work, Will." At Kara's exasperated look, she sighed, then reluctantly corrected herself. "Winn." She turned to Kara, sulking. "You are destroying my image."

Kara smiled. "Your image will survive, Cat. Look, he's still terrified of you."

Winn stammered a "thank you" while staring between the two women. What just happened? When did Kara start calling her boss Cat? When did Cat start taking orders from Kara? And what was Cat doing here, anyway? Wait, did she even know that was Kara? Winn's head was spinning.

Cat observed the wheels turning in Winn's head. Amused, she turned to Supergirl. "Kara, we should probably tell your cardigan hobbit that I know who you are. And I suppose, because we're telling secrets today, that you can even mention to him that I'm not always as much of a witch as he thinks I am."

"Oh no, Ms. Grant," Winn stammered, "I don't think you're a witch at all. You're a brilliant woman and a fantastic boss, and I respect you so much, and I'm just terrified that you're going to fire me when I finish this sentence." He cringed.

Kara laughed. "Winn, it's okay. She likes you."

He slunk away, still slightly terrified.

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"Kara, where are we going?"

It was Wednesday afternoon. Kara had worked with Cat's new assistant to clear the woman's schedule after 5 p.m., but Cat was less than thrilled about the idea of leaving the office so early. "What will my employees think when they see me leaving before them?"

"Ms. Grant, maybe they'll think you have a son that you want to spend time with. Or a dinner date. Or both." Kara grinned. She handed Cat a pile of clothing that was better suited for the beach than the office. "Put this on, and meet me on the roof."

Cat, still mystified, followed directions nonetheless. When the superhero wrapped Cat in her arms and began to move, Cat was somewhat alarmed to notice that they were flying over the ocean. "Kara, where exactly are you taking us?"

"Almost there, Ms. Grant." She flew lower, and as a small island came into view, Cat noticed that there were four people already on the island. Winn and Lucy were cooking burgers on a grill. Meanwhile, Alex stood on the beach with Carter. The two were having an animated conversation, staring intently at something in the sand.

Kara explained, "Alex and I found this island about 5 years ago, and we've been coming here ever since. We like to think of it as our private hangout, and I wanted to share it with you and Carter." She continued, embarrassed, "I know it's not exactly a regular date – I'm not good at the whole dating thing. I just wanted to do something I thought you'd like."

Kara knew that she was hopeless, when it came to the relationship thing. So she focused on doing whatever would make Cat the happiest. And that, of course, meant making Carter happy. She thought he would enjoy exploring the island, and she purposely brought a few friends that Carter had already met, to help him feel more comfortable. She was hoping that the older woman would see her efforts as the gesture of love that it was, rather than an awkward attempt at a date.

Cat's heart melted. This was nothing like any of her previous dates, and she already knew it would be the best date she'd ever had. It was the first time anyone had ever thought to include Carter. And from the looks of Carter's conversation with Alex, he had found a new friend. She found Kara's lips with her own, and kissed her with all of the love that she felt. The two swerved slightly as they approached the island, and Kara's murmured "oops" made Cat smile.

When Supergirl touched down on the beach, Carter looked up and waved. "Mom! Look at this hermit crab! He's so cool. Look, you can pick him up by his shell. Did you know he drinks by scooping up water with his claws? Alex said..."

Kara smiled and left Carter's mom to her science lesson.

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The group ate an insane number of hamburgers. Cat initially protested that they were not on her diet, but Carter just rolled his eyes and said, "Come on, Mom, we all know you want one. You can put lettuce on top and pretend it's a salad." Somehow, Cat managed to force down two burgers.

All six enjoyed a relaxed, comfortable conversation, centered mainly around Carter's interests.

Winn was still slightly terrified of his boss, but he managed to relax and have a good time once Kara made Cat promise he wouldn't be fired… this week. Lucy also enjoyed herself, commenting that it was the most relaxed she'd felt since moving to National City. Carter, meanwhile, seemed to have attached himself firmly to Alex's hip, interrogating her about ocean life and watching intently as she taught him how to start a fire without matches.

Cat had not thought she could possibly love Kara any more, but she found her love growing by the minute. The girl had managed to plan a perfect evening for Cat – by centering it around Carter – and she had done it in a way that was so uniquely Kara it took Cat's breath away.

After the sunset faded into darkness, Kara and Alex spread out some blankets, and all six lay down to look at the stars. Alex pointed out a few constellations, while Carter listened with rapt attention. Kara mumbled grumpily, "He gets a chance to hang out with Supergirl, and he spends the whole evening with her sister."

Cat laughed and patted her hand. "Is that jealousy I hear?" She pulled Kara close, and the two lay on the blanket with arms wrapped around each other. Lucy and Alex grinned, Carter beamed, and Winn stared in disbelief. Although he'd been briefed beforehand, it was still a shock. His head nearly exploded trying to reconcile his terrifying boss with the woman on this island.

It took three trips for Kara to bring everyone home, and she saved Cat and Carter for last. After she dropped the mother and son on their balcony, Cat caught her hand. She asked softly, "Will you stay?"

Kara smiled widely. "I would love to." She paused uncertainly, glancing at the boy who'd just gone inside. "Is it okay, with Carter here?"

Cat smiled. "Kara, he's almost as excited about this as I am. He's fine with you staying." She pulled Kara in for a long, tender kiss.

Wrapped in Cat's arms, Kara slept the entire night without a single nightmare.


	17. Chapter 17

Early Thursday morning, Hank and Lucy barged into the private office of Maxwell Lord. Max stood up angrily, and his face curled into a sneer. He surveyed the two agents standing in front of him. "Director Henshaw… I'm sorry, is that even your real name? And of course, General Lane's daughter. I guess your father was busy. What can I do for the two of you?"

"You'll be coming with us," Lucy announced, her voice grim.

"And why will I be doing that?" Max asked calmly. "The last time I went there, I was treated rather rudely by your agency."

Lucy responded, "We're going to need to hear your explanation for why your computers were hacking into the system of a boat rental company, which coincidentally rented the boat that nearly killed Supergirl last Friday night. We're also going to need to know why Kryptonite coming from your labs was found on the chains."

Hank added, "You see, Max, your Kryptonite has a distinctive signature. Synthetic kryptonite is slightly different than its naturally occurring counterpart. It's very easy to tell that yours was created in a lab. I suspect, when we search your labs, that we'll find matching Kryptonite."

"I see," Max said calmly, glancing at his phone for a moment, pressing a few buttons, and then putting it in his pocket. "All right then, you lead the way." As the two agents grabbed his arms and began to lead him out the door, he paused. "Oh. I should probably mention, you just sentenced a whole bunch of people to die."

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"We can't just let him go," Kara argued. "You know he won't keep his word."

"Maybe we can get him to talk. Bring him in, and let him sit here for a while." Alex wanted a chance to have her own private conversation with this monster. Possibly involving some fists.

Hank shook his head. "We don't know how long we have, and we don't even know where the bombs are. By the time he talks, it might be too late." He turned to Kara. "We'll find him again. I'll find him myself, if I have to. Right now, we need to focus on saving those people."

Alex frowned. "It's not going to be that simple. Nothing is, with Max."

"Then we'll figure it out. Right now, we need to cooperate," Hank answered.

Once Lucy informed Max that he was coming to the DEO, Max had activated a timer on his phone triggering a countdown. Bombs were placed in strategic locations, and would be exploding shortly. He offered to give them the locations of the bombs in exchange for his freedom. Seeing no other choice, Hank and Lucy had released Max. He handed them a burn phone, and promised that once he'd left the city, he would call and let them know exactly where the bombs were.

The burn phone rang. Hank grabbed it. "All right, Max. Where are the bombs?"

Max chuckled. "Actually, I changed my mind. You'll have to find them yourselves. Don't worry, I'm sure Ms. Grant has some ideas. Happy travels!" He hung up.

Kara leapt up. "CatCo," she said in a panic. "And Carter. His school."

Hank held up a hand. "Hold on, Kara. We don't know how long we have. We need to work together. Take Lucy with you to CatCo. I'll go with Alex to Carter's school. Just be careful. This isn't going to be as simple as we think."

Alex asked, "Kara, are you sure there aren't other bombs as well? Cat's apartment, maybe?"

Kara shook her head. "Cat's life is at CatCo. That's his focus. That, and Carter." She picked up Lucy and took off.

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Supergirl – or rather, Hank, disguised as Supergirl – landed in front of Carter's school. They ran into the building. "We need to find this bomb quickly. I'm sure there's not much time."

Alex nodded. "Cafeteria, gym, or auditorium. Somewhere where there's a crowd."

Checking the auditorium, they saw the entire school gathered for morning assembly. Hank/Supergirl said grimly, "I think we have a winner." They quickly entered, and the room quieted at the presence of 'Supergirl.' The hero announced to the now-silent crowd, "There has been a threat made to this school, and we need to evacuate the building as a precaution. Please file toward the exits as quickly and quietly as possible."

Although the crowd moved immediately, Alex and Hank feared there wouldn't be enough time. Alex looked around. "Check the middle of the room. Spotlights," she speculated, pointing to lights hanging from the ceiling.

As Hank nodded, he noticed a green glow emanating from one of the lights. He flew up, and quickly grabbed the explosive device. He immediately grabbed it and took off.

Examining the device, Hank breathed a sigh of relief. Four minutes to spare.

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As Kara approached the CatCo skyscraper, she suddenly began to feel weak and nauseous. Lucy looked at her with concern. "Kara? Are you okay?"

Kara fell onto Cat's balcony and collapsed. "Kryptonite," she said weakly. "Desk."

Lucy's eyes widened. She ran into Cat's office. "Cat, there's a bomb. And kryptonite. We need to evacuate the building, and we need to get Supergirl out of here," she said, gesturing toward the balcony, where the slumped superhero had already lost consciousness.

Cat forced down her rising panic, and surveyed the group standing in her office. "Olsen," she commanded. "Take Supergirl, and get her out of this building. The rest of you, start evacuating everyone." She stepped out into the bullpen, and calmly announced, "You will all need to leave the building as quickly as possible. There has been a bomb threat, and we are not taking any chances. Use all the elevators, and the stairs. Hurry."

Lucy had already run to Cat's desk, and was searching quickly. She found the ticking explosive device taped under one of the drawers, intertwined with Kryptonite. "Shit," she said angrily. The timer read 3:04. "We'll never get everyone out in time."

Winn came running into the office. Lucy whirled. "Get out of here! Go!"

He shook his head. "How long?" he asked grimly. He looked terrified, but he stood his ground.

"Three minutes," Lucy said grimly.

Winn came over to look at the device. "If anyone can shut this down, it's me. The rest of you get out of here." He stared at the device, muttering to himself as he began to analyze its circuitry. "Go! Take care of Kara. She didn't look good."

Cat paled. Lucy turned to Cat. "Go. I'll stay with Winn." Sensing the woman's hesitation, she said, "Kara needs you."

Cat nodded reluctantly, and left. Lucy and Winn got to work.

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Lucy said, "Can't we just cut all the wires?"

Winn shook his head. "No way. There are too many fail-safes for that. See, if I can deactivate this trigger, the bomb won't detonate. But he's rigged a secondary circuit to set off the trigger if that circuit loses power. And if the secondary circuit gets disconnected, the sensor…wait, maybe I can…" As Winn trailed off into thought, he scanned the circuitry carefully. This was a computer science problem. He could do computer science. No one was better at computer science. At least, he hoped not.

Lucy watched him with trepidation. When he picked up a pair of scissors, she grabbed his hand fearfully. "Winn, are you positive you know what you're doing?"

"No," Winn admitted. "But I'm pretty sure, and we're out of time." He pointed at the timer, which read 0:11.

Lucy nodded, and took a breath. "Go for it."

He selected three wires, and cut them simultaneously. They both cringed, holding their breath and waiting. The timer stopped. Nothing happened. After a few seconds, Winn exhaled deeply. "It worked?!" he said in a shaky, incredulous voice. "I did it! I really did it!"

Lucy grabbed Winn into a crushing hug. Laughing, she said, "You did it, Winn. You're amazing."

She gave him an affectionate kiss on the cheek, then grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the door. "Let's go tell everyone what a hero you are."

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Cat raced out into the street to find Kara. She spotted James leaning over an unmoving body, which was wrapped in several blankets. "How is she?" she asked, trying not to let too much panic creep into her voice.

James shook his head. "She hasn't moved. The… government agents are on their way." Just then, Hank, Alex, and Carter came running around the corner. "Is everyone safe?" Hank demanded.

Cat glanced back at the building in fear. "I don't know…" she said quietly. "Winn and Lucy are doing their best. I think the timer should be up by now, so... I guess we'll know momentarily."

Just then, Lucy and Winn came running out of the building, grinning. "He did it!" Lucy exclaimed. "Winn disabled it. With eleven seconds to spare."

Hank muttered, "Now you're really going to have to give him a raise."

Cat suddenly noticed her son standing there. "Carter, are you okay?" she asked, voice filled with panic.

"Mom, I'm fine. Supergirl and Alex saved me, and I got to fly."

"Supergirl saved you…?" Cat asked, confused, staring at the limp form of Kara.

Hank cringed. "It's complicated. We'll fill you in later. Your son is fine." He turned to look at Kara. "Let's get her out of here and into treatment."

James watched in surprise as Cat and Carter headed off to the DEO with the agents.


	18. Chapter 18

As the group entered the DEO, Cat shook her head, and turned to Hank. "You really need to get some interior decorators in here. It's like a morgue. No wonder you're always scowling."

Hank gave her a blistering glare, but was no match for Cat Grant. He focused on wheeling Kara into the treatment room and setting up the sun lamps. Cat grasped Kara's hand and sat down to wait.

After a few minutes, Kara opened her eyes slowly. "Cat?" she asked weakly.

"I'm right here, Kara," Cat assured the hero.

"Are you okay? Is CatCo okay? Is Carter okay?"

"We're all fine. You took care of Carter, and Winn disabled the bomb at CatCo." That reminded Cat. How had Kara saved Carter?

Kara looked confused. "I didn't even see Carter. Hank and Alex went to the school."

Something clicked in Cat's mind. "Kara, when you met Supergirl in my office… How did you do that?"

"Oh, um, I… well, that's not really my secret to tell."

Walking into the room, Hank responded, "No, it's mine." As abrasive as the woman could be, he could trust her. Besides, she would pry the secret out of Kara eventually. He quickly morphed into Supergirl, and then back into Hank. "Shapeshifter," he explained. Cat's mouth fell open, and Hank grinned in response. Revealing his secret had been more than worth it. A speechless Cat Grant was a rare, and pleasant, sight.

Kara smiled, and closed her eyes again. Then her eyes flicked back open, worried. "Cat, did you check on Adam?"

Cat paled. Of course Max would think of Adam. He knew how much she cared for her son, even if their relationship had not always been close. "Oh no," she whispered. "He's on his yacht. We have to go."

Kara tried to sit up, but Hank put a hand on her shoulder to stop her. "Kara, you're in no shape to do this."

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They landed silently on the ship's deck, and began to explore, searching each room one by one. Hearing a quiet voice inside one of the bedrooms, the two stopped and readied themselves. The superhero took the lead, kicking open the door and yelling "Freeze!" Lucy held her position just outside the door, temporarily maintaining the element of surprise.

Max Lord turned around and smiled. He waved the gun that he had been pointing at Adam. "Nice of you to join the party, Supergirl!" Max picked up a box full of Kryptonite that he'd carried with him for protection. "How are you feeling?"

The hero sank to the floor. "Max… don't do this…" she said weakly. She crawled her way toward Max, toward the Kryptonite, even as her movements became weaker. She pled with him not to shoot Adam. "None of this is his fault. Please. Leave him alone. Take me instead."

"Don't beg, Supergirl. It's unbecoming." Max grinned and leaned toward the hero, holding the box of Kryptonite even closer. "I thought you were smarter than this. How did you not realize I'd have Kryptonite? You've always been a little overconfident, though. A few more minutes here should do the trick. Say your goodbyes, Supergirl."

Suddenly, Max found himself being locked in handcuffs, trapped in the arms of Hank Henshaw. "Gotcha," he snarled. "You really shouldn't believe everything you see."

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The moment Adam entered the DEO, he was assaulted by a crushing hug. "Oh, thank God you're okay. I was so worried." He stiffened, confused.

Supergirl released him, and took a couple of steps backward, suddenly remembering her appearance. Embarrassed, she mumbled, "Sorry. I just… um… hate hearing that anyone is in danger."

Adam said, "It's okay. I just… didn't expect that. At all." He offered his hand. "Nice to meet you, Supergirl."

Supergirl nodded and shook his hand, still not quite meeting his eyes. "Nice to meet you too."

Cat Grant rolled her eyes and forced back a smile. "Supergirl, it's a wonder that ANYONE doesn't know your secret. Now go away; lie down and get some rest."

Lucy, smirking, grabbed Kara's hand and led her back toward the treatment room. "Nice one, Supergirl," she muttered.

Cat stepped forward and wrapped Adam in a tight hug, murmuring, "I'm so sorry. I'm so glad you're here. Are you okay?"

"I'm okay, Cat," Adam said, shaking his head. "And you don't need to apologize. It's not your fault that Max Lord is a psycho." He returned the hug, then glanced toward where Supergirl had been. "What was that about?"

"Supergirl gets a little emotional sometimes," Cat said. "Don't worry about it. But Adam, I'd like to talk with you about some things later, if you can stay a while. I'm just so glad you're here." Adam deserved to know what was going on with Kara. It was going to be a very painful conversation, she knew, but she owed Adam the truth. For them to repair their relationship, she would need to be honest with him.

"Sure, whatever you need." Adam nodded. He was confused, but willing to listen. Cat had been trying so hard to connect with him, and whatever was on her mind was obviously important to her.

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"He got the Kryptonite from my father?" Lucy felt her world spinning out of control.

Alex nodded. "I'm sorry, Lucy. It appears that General Lane was the one who took the Kryptonite. We've asked him to come in to answer some questions, and he's assured us that he will be here as soon as he can. There has to be a logical reason for this."

"So you're telling me that my father started this whole mess. CatCo almost blew up, and Carter's whole school. Jesus, my father almost got me killed! If it hadn't been for Winn…" She shivered.

"Lucy," Alex said softly, "you know that's not fair. General Lane didn't tell Max Lord to bomb anyone. All he did was give him a small amount of Kryptonite. What happened today… That was all Max Lord. And I'm sure, once he hears how all of this transpired, General Lane is going to be sick about it."

"I can't believe my father would give a psychopath a lethal weapon. God, I can't even stomach the thought of him being here right now."

"I'm sorry, Lucy. Let's just give him a chance to explain, okay?"

"There's no explanation that would make me forgive him right now."

Alex nodded. She understood how Lucy was feeling. But she also knew that despite their differences, Lucy loved her father. She hoped that the General would have answers that Lucy could live with.

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"You should be grateful that I'm conducting this interview, Max. I'm probably the only person in this agency who won't try to kill you right now." Hank stood in front of the prisoner. "Why, Max? Why would you go after Supergirl now, after working together with her on Myriad? Why would you try to kill a school full of children? What happened to you? We may have had our differences, but Max, this is not who you are."

"As much as you'd like to vilify me, Director Henshaw, I was just being a good soldier. I was following orders. I was looking out for the best interests of our country, which is something this agency has lost sight of."

Max adopted a regretful expression. "After the boat incident, however, my allies abandoned me. I knew it was only a matter of time, so I set up the bombs to give myself an escape route. Destroying Cat Grant would have been just an added benefit. The schoolchildren were a regrettable necessity."

Max acknowledged, "I admit, Director, that I never saw you coming. Supergirl crawling her way toward the bomb to plead with me was very much in character. Kudos to you for outsmarting me. But I think we could work out a deal, Director Henshaw. I'll give you the name of the person who told me to create Kryptonite and kill Supergirl. In return, you let me go."

Hank growled, "I don't make deals with psychos like you."

Fortunately, there was one secret about Hank that Max didn't know: He could read minds.


	19. Chapter 19

"Adam, there's something I need to tell you." Cat leaned forward and looked steadily at her older son. "I'm seeing someone. It's not public knowledge, but you're my son, and I think I owe it to you to tell you. I guess I'm hoping that you will understand, even if you don't approve."

The two were sitting in Cat's living room. Carter had retired to his room to read a book, and Adam hung around waiting, knowing that Cat wanted him there but not really understanding why. Cat's comment didn't really clear anything up.

"Cat, your dating life has never really been any of my business. I don't really know why that would change now. Why do you want me to know about him?"

Cat sighed. "Adam… This is a little different." Why had she thought it was a good idea to push Kara toward Adam? Her own son had taken Kara out on two dates. And now she was dating the same woman. She closed her eyes, wondering what was the matter with her. Thinking about talking with Adam about this made her realize just how ridiculous the whole thing was. He was going to see her dating sweet, innocent Kara and assume she was taking advantage of the girl. God, he was going to hate her. She had just repaired this relationship – thanks to Kara's help, she thought wryly – and now he was going to hate her more than ever.

She could start with the easy part. "First of all, it's not a him. Secondly, she's significantly younger than me."

"Cat, I don't care whether you date women or men. And as far as the age difference, I mean, you're just in time for your midlife crisis, right? Lots of rich old men date younger women. Why not you? If that's what you want to do with your life, go for it."

"I really wish that's all this was," Cat said sadly. "The thing is, Adam, this feels real. It's too soon to say this, but I really believe she is someone I could spend the rest of my life with. She makes me a better person. She's so amazing, and has the biggest heart of anyone I've ever met. I feel like she's helping me open my own heart, little by little. She has been for years, really, but I'm finally ready to acknowledge it and love her back. God, I'm so in love with her. And I don't deserve her, but somehow, she loves me anyway. I guess I'm hoping that you can accept our relationship, because I want both of you to be in my life."

Adam shot up off the couch. "Oh my God," he said warily. "No, it can't be. Oh please, please tell me I'm wrong about this. Please tell me it's not who I think it is." He stared at Cat.

Cat put her head in her hands. "Adam, it's Kara," she said quietly.

"What the fuck?" Adam was pacing now, one hand gripping his forehead as if to hold it together. "Cat, What. The. Fuck?"

"Adam…"

"No! Don't you dare try to rationalize this to me. Cat, I dated her. You set us up! Kara is so innocent, and so trusting. Jesus, she's half your age. And she worships you! Cat, you are going to destroy this girl, and it makes me sick to think that you could do that to her. She doesn't deserve this!"

He stopped pacing, and looked at Cat, stared at her for a moment. The disgust on his face made Cat's stomach clench, and she felt her heart crumbling. "There have been times in my life that I've hated you. Really hated you. But I have never been as ashamed of you as I am right now." He walked toward the door, opened it, and turned back. "Don't ever call me again." The door slammed.

Cat sank onto the floor, dissolving into a boneless heap. She buried her face in her hands and just sat there, unmoving. She wanted to cry, but her body felt like it didn't have the strength for tears.

Carter came out from his room, having heard the door slam. "Is everything okay, Mom?" Spotting her on the floor, he knelt down next to her. "Mom?" He prodded her. "Mom, please say something." There was no response.

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Carter opened the door for Alex. He had called her in a panic. Well, technically he had called Kara, but she was still sleeping off the effects of Kryptonite, so Alex answered Kara's phone.

"Alex, I don't know what to do. She hasn't moved, or said a word. Adam was here, and then I heard the door slam, and I came out here, and she was just… like that," he gestured.

Alex saw Cat crumpled on the living room floor, head in her hands. She wasn't moving, or speaking, or showing any life whatsoever. She was simply a statue. ' _Adam was here.'_ With those words, Alex understood completely. She knelt down. "Cat? Cat, please talk to me. Carter is scared. Carter needs you to be okay. Please, just let him know you're okay. He needs you." Alex knew that her only chance to bring Cat back was to focus on Carter.

She heard a weak voice from inside the heap somewhere. "I'm sorry." Cat looked up at her son. "Carter, I'm sorry."

Alex sat down on one side of Cat, and Carter joined her on the other side. Carter wrapped his arms around his mother. "Mom, you scared me," he said quietly.

"I'm so sorry," she said sadly.

"Mom, it's okay. I'm just worried about you."

Cat simply lowered her head, remaining on the floor.

Alex took control of the situation. "Carter, how about I sit here and talk with your mom for a while? Just the two of us?" If I can even get her to talk, Alex thought grimly.

He nodded, relief evident in his features. Alex was here. Alex was going to help. This woman could do anything, and he knew she would take care of his mom. "Thanks, Alex," he said gratefully. He headed back to his bedroom to give them some space.

Alex looked at Cat. "So… Adam was here." No response. She tried again. "Cat, did you talk to Adam about Kara?" She saw Cat's eyes close miserably. "And I take it that didn't go well?" Silence. One tear trickled down Cat's cheek. "I'm gonna take that as a yes."

"Okay, Cat," Alex began. "I'm going to talk. Maybe you could just give me a nod or a shake of the head to tell me if I'm on the right track?" Small nod. "I imagine that Adam was upset that you were dating someone he dated." Nod. "Someone you encouraged him to date." Another nod. "And probably upset at the age difference." Pause, and then a shrug. "Okay, the age wasn't a big deal. He was upset that it's Kara, because she's so innocent." Nod. "He probably accused you of taking advantage of her." Nod. Another tear trickled out.. "And you've worked so hard to develop that relationship, and now he doesn't want to talk to you anymore?" Cat flinched, and a sob escaped. "He's probably right back to hating you, like he did when he was younger." A sad nod. "Did I miss anything?"

Cat said softly, "He's ashamed of me. Disgusted. He said he's never been so ashamed of me." The tears finally came out now, in a torrent. Alex gathered the older woman in her arms, and rocked her back and forth while Cat cried. Alex murmured, "It's okay, Cat. It'll be okay," and held her tightly, knowing that Cat needed to release the pent-up emotions that she had held in. Alex knew that Cat did not let herself go easily – in fact, she prided herself on being calm and collected in moments of high stress. For Cat Grant to fall apart like this, Alex knew it must have taken a steamroller of emotional devastation, something that only Carter, Adam, or Kara could have provided. Cat was hurting beyond belief right now.

After a while, the tears slowed to a trickle, and Alex knew it was time for her to begin talking. Cat had returned to the present, and was beginning to process what she was feeling. Alex needed to make sure that Cat didn't judge herself unfairly. "Cat, Adam doesn't know the whole story. He doesn't even know most of the story. He hasn't been here to see the two of you together, or watch this relationship develop. If he had, he'd know in an instant that it's nothing like what he's imagining. He would know how much you two love each other, and he would know how good you are for Kara, and he'd see what an incredible person she's found in you. I'm sorry he hasn't been able to see that, because it changes everything."

She paused, and looked at Cat for a moment, sweeping some hair out of the older woman's face, and then wrapping her arms back around the woman. "Cat, you told me last week that I wasn't doing the overprotective sister thing right. And believe me, I can be the overprotective sister. Growing up, I always had to fight for a girl who could never fight for herself, because she was afraid of her strength. I've spent my whole life protecting her. But when I see the two of you together, I don't see you taking advantage of anyone. I see two people who are completely, desperately in love, and have been for a very long time. I see that she has the potential to devastate you just as much as you could hurt her. And you accept that; embrace it, even; because she's worth it. Neither one of you needs for me to be overprotective. You will protect each other, for as long as you live. I know it."

Alex shook her head. "Cat, I hope one day I'll find something half as strong as the relationship the two of you have together. It's a once-in-a-lifetime thing. Once in a million lifetimes. Adam will see that. He will eventually give you a chance, and that's all it'll take. Just give him some time to take this all in." She smiled at Cat. "And if he doesn't? Then I'm happy to be your overprotective sister. I'll go beat him up."

Cat took a few shaky breaths. "I've been such an awful mother, Alex. I was never there for him. I always tried to buy his love to make up for my own absence. And I finally did something right with him – of course, Kara was responsible for that, but she helped me to develop a real relationship with him – and now I've gone and destroyed it all. I let him down again, worse than I ever have before."

"Cat, first of all, I know how much you care about Adam. It's obvious, just listening to you. Yeah, so you haven't always done things perfectly. But you love him, and you're trying, and honestly, that's what matters. And as much as he thinks he hates you right now, this time, you didn't do anything wrong. Cat, you are doing everything right. This relationship – it's right. And when he sees that, he's going to regret how he reacted, and he's going to realize that you have changed… and you really have. Kara had a big role in that, of course, but the biggest reason is that you trust her, and that's allowed you to open yourself up."

Cat tried to smile. It wasn't really a smile, exactly, but it was a sign that maybe she was starting to calm down. "Thank you, Alex. Thanks for coming here, and being here for Carter, and for me. I don't know what I would have done without you."

"Cat, you're part of my family now. You're important to Kara, which means you're important to me too – and truthfully, I'm so glad to have you as a friend. I think the two of us are a lot alike, and maybe we're good for each other. I'm here for you – and Carter – anytime."

"Honestly," Cat mused, "what would I do without the Danvers sisters? Thanks, Alex."

Alex looked at Cat hopefully. "Now, Kara has mentioned your extensive and varied tastes in alcohol. How about I hang around here with you for tonight, and you spoil me with some ridiculously expensive scotch? I have to wait till the morning to bring Kara home anyway."

Cat nodded and smiled. "Sure; I'd like that. I think we both need to relax and unwind. And don't worry about finding someone special, Alex; Carter will be looking to marry you in about ten years."

Alex laughed. "I'll wait for him."


	20. Chapter 20

General Lane entered the DEO on Friday morning to find his daughter waiting for him, seething with anger. "Dad. You gave Kryptonite to Max Lord? What the hell were you thinking?"

Hank, standing nearby, intervened quickly. "Lucy, let's take this conversation to a more private location." Lucy and the general nodded, and they walked to the nearest conference room in awkward silence. Once they had closed the door, Lucy spun toward General Lane. "Well?"

"Lucy, Kryptonians are a danger to this planet. As much as you may like Supergirl, and as much as she helped us with Myriad, it's a fact that our planet would be safer without any of her kind. I wanted Max to create something we could use to control any of the Kryptonians, if necessary. It was important for us to upgrade our own weapons as much as possible."

"General," Hank began, "the DEO has all of these capabilities already. We were already looking into ways of upgrading these weapons. Why did you feel the need to pass this responsibility to a private civilian?"

"With all due respect, Director Henshaw, this agency is run by an alien. The government believes that you have our best interests at heart, but I believe in taking the necessary precautions to ensure our safety."

"Well, your concern for our safety nearly cost us dozens – maybe hundreds – of lives," Lucy snapped. "Not to mention putting our own superhero in danger. You might want to rethink your tactics."

"Lucy," General Lane began. "I respect what Supergirl has done. But our country is better off without her. No one should be entrusted with those kinds of powers."

Hank growled, "And I suppose that's why you asked Max to kill her."

Lucy paled. "You… told Max to kill Supergirl? You?"

"Lucy, sometimes we need to make difficult decisions to protect our nation. It was in the best interests of our country. None of this is easy."

"The best interests of our… what the hell is wrong with you?" Lucy was fuming. "Supergirl has done more for our country than you ever will. You tried to murder her! You tried to kill my friend." Her voice broke slightly, and she stood up, walked away, and took several deep breaths, trying to maintain her composure.

"Lucy, sometimes fighting for our country requires us to make sacrifices. You know that as well as anyone."

Lucy spun around to face her father. "No. Don't you dare try to justify your actions. Supergirl has done nothing to warrant your suspicion and hatred, and what you did was appalling. You nearly killed the kindest, gentlest person I know. There is no justification for that."

She shook her head. "I haven't always agreed with the things you've done, but I've always respected your motivations. But this? What the hell is wrong with you?" She opened the door. "Director Henshaw, I can't be here right now." He nodded, and she quickly left the room.

Hank stared at the misguided patriot. The general truly believed he had done the right thing. "You realize, General Lane, that an entire school full of children nearly died because of you."

The general nodded sadly. "I trusted Max Lord, and perhaps that was a mistake."

"Perhaps?" Hank asked incredulously. "You helped a psychopath in his attempt to murder innocent people. You understand that I will need to arrest you."

General Lane nodded grimly. "I accept full responsibility for my actions."

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When Cat and Alex arrived at the DEO to pick up their superhero, Hank intercepted them. "Alex… Lucy needs you."

Alex nodded grimly. "General Lane is here?"

Hank nodded. "He admitted to giving Max the Kryptonite. Unfortunately, that was not the end of his involvement. General Lane also acknowledged that the plot to kill Supergirl was his idea. Lucy is devastated."

"HIS idea?" Cat interjected. "He tried to…" Words failed her for a moment, as her face turned white, and then anger flashed across her features. "I'll kill him. I'll ruin him. Where is he?"

Hank stopped her, placing a hand gently on her shoulder. "Cat, I need you to focus on Kara and Lucy. General Lane is in custody, and he will pay for his actions. Kara needs you to help her recover. And most of all, Lucy needs her friends right now."

Cat took a deep breath, then another. She turned to Alex, knowing that the agent would help her remain focused. "What do we do?"

Alex said, "Cat, go see how Kara is doing. If she is up to it and you can handle it, talk with her about General Lane, but remind her that Lucy needs us. You know Kara. She'll let it go, because she's Kara, and nothing is more important to her than her friends. I'll go talk to Lucy." She paused. "Afterward… I think maybe the four of us should go to your place, if that's okay? Lucy is going to need all of us."

Cat nodded. "Carter's with his friend Jamie for the day, and then he goes to his dad's tonight. We'll have the place to ourselves." She smiled. "I'll get out some of my best whiskey. I suspect we'll need it."

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Alex walked into the training room, where she fully expected to find Lucy. She was not disappointed. Her friend was taking out all of her frustrations by walloping a punching bag, while headphones blasted music into her ears. From the looks of things, the bag was no match for her.

Alex called out, "Lucy? Want a training partner?" She knew that Lucy wasn't in any mood to sit down and talk. The only way to get the woman to open up was to engage with her.

Lucy shook her head. "Alex, you're not going to be any match for me right now."

"Try me," Alex offered. She would just have to hope she could keep up.

"Fine," Lucy agreed, "but don't say I didn't warn you."

The two squared off, circling around each other with each woman eyeing her opponent. Lucy swiped, and Alex blocked the move with ease, but Alex's attempt to grab Lucy's ankle was met with resistance. More circling, and then Alex feinted with her right hand and moved in with her left hand and foot to trip the other woman. Lucy leaned into the move, bringing Alex down with her, and the two wrestled each other on the ground before Alex finally gained the upper hand. She was surprised, however, when Lucy easily flipped her over and pinned her.

"Told you no one could keep up with me right now," Lucy commented.

"Yeah, well, you got lucky. Let's go again," Alex responded.

They squared off again. The two were quite evenly matched, and they traded kicks and punches for a while, wrestling each other for dominance, and circling again. Neither one was willing to admit defeat until finally Lucy rolled off of Alex and flopped down onto the mat. Both were spent, breathing heavily, muscles burning with exertion. "Danvers, you're pretty decent."

Alex nodded. "You too, Lane. Feel a little less angry?"

Lucy shook her head. "No way. I'm furious. But at least I don't have the energy to go in there and beat his head in anymore."

"Well, that's a start."

Lucy sat up and spun around quickly. "He tried to kill her! My own father, trying to murder Kara. What the hell, Alex?"

Alex sat up next to her. "I know, Lucy. I wish I could somehow tell you it's not true, but it happened. There's nothing I can say that's going to make you less angry about it. I guess right now we just have to be grateful that the DEO outsmarted Max Lord this time."

"I've never been close with my father. I mean, Lois doesn't speak to him at all… my relationship with him is better than that, but it's not great. You can't really talk to my dad. Things are the way they are, and that's the end of the conversation. But I always tried to at least understand where he was coming from. He has always had a good heart. But now, I think he's crossed a line that I can't forgive. The idea that we would be safer eliminating a "threat" like Supergirl than trying to work with her – that's a man who has lost all sense of the value of life. And to me, that's unforgiveable."

Alex nodded. There was nothing she could say to make Lucy feel better right now. She just needed to be there for her friend. Lucy just needed someone to listen as she worked her way through her feelings.

"I just don't understand how he could think it was better to align himself with Max Lord than with Supergirl. It's like it no longer matters to him who's good and who's bad, as long as he's in control of it. Because how else could anyone justify that?"

"I don't know, Lucy. I wish I could explain to you what he was thinking. I suspect he still believes he did what was best for the country. But he's really lost his way." Alex looked at her friend. "You seem like you could use a little de-stressing. You want to get out of here and try some really, really good scotch?"

Lucy looked at Alex. "That actually sounds pretty perfect right now."


	21. Chapter 21

The four women arrived at Cat's beach house at around noon. Rather than head to Cat's apartment, they had decided to turn the event into a short weekend getaway, and spend a couple of days sunning and swimming. Each of them could use a little rest and relaxation. Alex and Lucy picked out two of the guest rooms, while Kara and Cat would share her bedroom.

Cat's living room contained a well-stocked bar, and she instructed them to make themselves at home and feel free to select whatever they wanted. She knew that Lucy would need a chance to unwind, and she suspected that all four of them would enjoy an evening of expensive alcohol and raging at the world. Before that, though, they decided to spend some time on the beach.

Kara and Alex had grown up next to the ocean, and both were outstanding swimmers. Kara, of course, could use her powers to boost her skills, but Alex was simply a natural. Lucy was a decent swimmer, but was more interested in grabbing a book and lying in the sun, reading. Cat, on the other hand, was interested mostly in staring at Kara's gorgeous body, adorned in a modest suit.

When they arrived at the beach, all four women went racing into the surf, but Cat and Lucy were content to bob in the waves, while Alex and Kara swam out into deeper water. Cat had to curb her instinct to worry – she knew that Alex could handle herself, and Kara certainly wasn't going to let anything bad happen.

"They're a pretty special pair," Lucy said fondly. "Kara, with her gigantic heart and unflinching optimism. She would do anything for anyone, simply because they ask. It's just impossible not to love her. And then there's Alex, always in the background, but just as much of a hero. She's the rock that everyone depends on. She always knows what to do, and how to help. I always think it must be exhausting, but she just cares so much about everyone that she doesn't even think about the cost to herself."

Cat nodded. "I couldn't help falling in love with Kara. No one can. But the unexpected surprise that came with getting to know Kara was spending time with Alex. It's only been a couple of weeks, and already I don't know what I would do without her. Lucy, she gets me to open up. No one in my life, other than Carter, has ever been able to do that, and now I found two of them, in the same family." She smiled faintly. "How did I get so lucky?"

"Cat," Lucy said, "I think they'd say the same thing about you. As cold and heartless as you think you are, that's just not true. They've embraced you because they know exactly how amazing you are. Kara may be trusting, but she's also a pretty good judge of character. And Alex – she just sees everyone. She's so good at reading people, and knowing who they are and what motivates them. She sees who you really are, and she loves you."

"And who are you, Lucy?" Cat asked thoughtfully. "How do you think Alex sees you?"

"She knows I'm a fighter. I'm an excellent lawyer, and I fight hard for what I believe in. And I'm loyal to my friends. But I don't trust easily, so it's hard for most people to get to know me. Alex is starting to break through my shell, because she's been really persistent and… well, she's Alex. She does a lot for me, and I don't always realize it. Like today, she knew I wasn't going to talk, so she came and trained with me for an hour, fought me just to help me release some of the anger. And then she sat there and listened when I was ready to talk. She just always knows how to reach me."

"Lucy, I think she sees a lot of herself in you," Cat offered. "You two are very much alike. You're both warriors, but you both have incredibly kind hearts, and you know how to reach people. You're always looking out for others. And both of you could use a little help taking care of yourselves sometimes."

The two women saw Kara and Alex returning. Lucy smiled, and said, "Bet you're dying to peel that suit off of Kara."

Cat sighed. "God, I hate taking things slowly. But she needs that." She glanced at Lucy. "I have to say, though, Alex is pretty hot too."

Lucy nodded thoughtfully. "She is, isn't she?"

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When all four women had finally had enough of tanning and swimming, they headed inside to rinse off the salt and sand. There were plenty of showers for everyone, but Cat couldn't help imagining what Kara might look like in the shower. "Damn you, Lucy, for bringing up that suit," she thought.

Meanwhile, Kara was desperately trying not to drool over Cat's small, sensuous body, which was beautifully displayed in her own slender bikini. She glanced at Cat as she headed toward the bathroom. "Are you coming?" she asked, grinning playfully.

"No way, Kara. If I come in there with you, there's no way I can keep myself under control."

"Well yeah," Kara said shyly. "That's kind of the idea."

Cat groaned. "Go shower, Supergirl. Before I change my mind."

They showered separately. This time.

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"Let me go talk to him. Cat, he has it all wrong." Kara was angry. Cat had just finished recapping her conversation with Adam. The older woman had managed to maintain her composure, but was clearly devastated by his reaction. Kara couldn't stand to see Cat so upset, and she needed to fix it.

Alex interjected. "Kara, calm down. He reacted emotionally. Once he gives this a chance, he'll realize how wrong he is. But let's give him a little space, okay? We need to let him absorb all of this."

"He said she's taking advantage of me! That's the last thing Cat would ever do."

"Adam doesn't know what he's talking about." Lucy shook her head. "If he saw the two of you together, he'd know how wrong he was." She looked at Kara. "But he needs time and space to process everything before you go in there and try to fix it. That wouldn't solve anything right now."

Kara sighed. "Have I told you how much I hate time and space?"

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The women spent a relaxing evening together. Cat insisted on preparing a home-cooked dinner of fresh seafood and locally-grown vegetables, while Lucy and Alex explored the wide variety of alcoholic beverages available in Cat's bar. By the time dinner was over, both women were slumped comfortably on the sofa, with Lucy's head resting on Alex's shoulder. To Cat's surprise, the two were discussing the plusses and minuses of dating a woman.

"Sharing clothes," Lucy offered. "MAJOR upside."

"Being on the same cycle, though… not good," Alex suggested. Lucy nodded in agreement.

"Not having to worry about pregnancy, that's a benefit," Lucy said.

"Well, yeah, of course," Alex answered. "And I'll be honest – the sex is usually better. Much more sensual. Lots of men have no idea what turns women on."

"I'm not so sure about that," Lucy responded. "I mean, there's the whole thing of a missing piece of equipment. Definitely a drawback."

Alex responded, "Nah. There are ways to compensate for that."

Cat shook her head. These two were pretty well on their way to drunk. She curled up next to Kara, wrapping her arms around the beautiful superhero. Kara turned and kissed Cat's forehead, and then pulled the older woman even closer. Cat volunteered, "It's much easier to hide a relationship with a woman. I don't know if that's good or bad, but women tend to be more affectionate, so it's easier to pass things off as 'just friends'."

Alex and Lucy agreed that it was more likely to be a benefit than a drawback. Lucy looked at the snuggling couple. "The two of you are pretty freaking adorable," Lucy murmured, her words slurring slightly. "Someday I hope I'll find someone who loves me as much as the two of you love each other."

Alex nodded in agreement. "They're pretty great together. Kind of disgustingly cute."

Cat smiled, and turned to pull Kara's mouth toward her own, kissing her gently. Kara responded eagerly, pulling Cat onto her lap and returning the kiss with fervor. Cat knew that Kara had forgotten anyone else was in the room, so she slowed things down, despite the racing of her own heart. "I think," she murmured, "that it's time for us to go to bed."

Lucy grinned. "See you two lovebirds in the morning," she said, rolling her eyes.

Alex shook her head. "Night, you two," she responded, amused.

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When Cat closed her bedroom door, her self-control finally snapped. She shoved Kara back against the door, kissing her roughly and grasping her hips firmly. Kara moaned in response and pulled her closer. "What you do to me… God…" Cat murmured, pushing one thigh between Kara's legs and forcing herself even closer to the younger woman. She lowered her mouth to Kara's neck, running her tongue along the soft skin and attacking her neck with abandon.

"Cat…" Kara groaned desperately, sensations flying through her body at the feel of Cat's hands and tongue caressing her, at Cat's body so close, at the pressure of a thigh right where she needed it. "Please." She wasn't even sure what she was asking; just that she desperately wanted even more.

While Cat's mouth found every inch of Kara's neck, her hands were beginning to explore as well. She slipped her hands underneath Kara's shirt, running them along the smooth skin of Kara's chiseled abs. "Yes," Kara whispered softly, reveling in the feel of Cat's hands on her bare skin. She slid her own hands underneath Cat's shirt, running fingers over Cat's shoulders and back. When Cat's hands began to slowly slide upward, she could feel her heartbeat speed up dramatically, and she moaned in encouragement as Cat rested her hands over Kara's breasts. "Cat, please don't stop. Please don't ever stop."

Those words caused a fire to pool in Cat's stomach, but the sensation also jolted her into awareness. They were not going to do this… not like this. She forced herself to back away. "Kara…" she began.

"No, Cat," Kara said. "Don't you dare stop now. We both want this."

Cat laughed weakly. "I was just going to say, we should probably move this to the bed."

Kara grabbed Cat and whisked her over to the bed, laying her on top of the sheets, and settling on top of her. Just then, her phone buzzed. "No," whined Kara. "No, please no." She glared at the phone, willing it to stop. No such luck.

She sighed and picked up the phone. "What?" she asked, scowling.

Just then, Alex knocked on the door. "Kara?"

Seeing no other choice, Cat opened the door for Alex while Kara listened to whoever was on the phone.

Alex saw that Kara was already receiving the news, and turned to Cat with an apologetic look on her face. "Massive forest fire near the coast."


	22. Chapter 22

"Vasquez, how many people are there?" Kara hovered in the air, surveying a huge trailer park on the edge of the flames.

"I'm not sure exactly, Supergirl; probably around a hundred. Just find as many as you can."

"I'm on it," Kara asserted confidently. She flew toward the blaze, seeking out those who were most in danger. She found a group of girl scouts huddling in tents near the edge of the blaze. "It's okay, I'm going to get you out of this," she assured the girls. "I need you to take down these tents. We're going to wrap as many of you as possible into the tarps, so I can carry you all at once, okay?" She helped the girls to quickly dismantle the tents, and used the material to create makeshift stretchers.

"I need you all to hold on as tight as you can, okay? And grab hold of the person next to you. We're not losing any of you." She lifted the first tent, and carried the girls as quickly as she thought was safe. Dropping the tent next to emergency workers, she sped back to grab the remaining tent. Flames were beginning to engulf the area, and she quickly used her freeze breath to push them back. Grabbing the second tent, she sped back toward safety, and dropped the remaining scouts in the rescue area.

Kara made dozens of trips back and forth, carrying passengers and even animals. She knew that some of her victims were badly burnt, and she wished she had gotten here sooner. Depositing a kitten she had found huddling next to a trailer, she looked at the rescue workers. "I think that's everyone. Is there anyone else I should be looking for?"

A rescue worker volunteered, "One boy, he says his dad was off fishing. They haven't seen him yet."

Her heart sank. She quickly sped toward the river, which was surrounded almost entirely by flames. She spotted a man huddled in the water, trying desperately to stay alive. She dove in, grabbed the man, and flew through the flames as quickly as possible, trying not to hear his anguished screams as she had to hold portions of his body that were obviously badly burned. She dropped the man off with the rescue workers, hoping that he would make it. "Anyone else?" she asked again. This time, the rescue workers shook their heads.

She gratefully accepted a cup of water, sitting down at a picnic table to rest for a moment. She was parched and exhausted, and the thought of flying home was overwhelming. Just then, she was approached by a young boy. "Supergirl?" he asked timidly.

She forced herself to smile at the boy, despite her worry and exhaustion. "Hi," she said. "What's your name?"

"I'm Justin. Over there is my little brother Tommy. Supergirl, thank you for saving our dad."

She couldn't help it. Tears started trickling down her cheeks at the thought that he'd almost lost his father tonight. The boy said kindly, "Don't cry. He's safe now. You found him." He reached forward to give her a hug. She wrapped her arms around the little boy, a few more tears escaping as he comforted her.

The encounter gave her a boost of energy, and she said her goodbyes and flew back to Cat's.

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When she arrived, she found Cat in the kitchen, boiling several boxes of pasta, while Alex and Lucy sat on the couch, looking much more sober than when she'd left. "Everything okay?" Alex asked, giving her a hug.

Kara nodded. "I think we found everyone."

The television switched to a shot of Justin, giving Supergirl a hug. "Who's that?" Lucy asked.

"That's Justin," Kara explained. "He was thanking me for saving his dad."

The reporter announced, "Unfortunately, that little boy lost his father tonight. Supergirl was able to rescue him from the fire, but he died just an hour later from his injuries."

Kara sank onto the couch. She didn't hear the words of support offered by Alex and Lucy, nor did she feel Cat come over and put her arms around Kara from behind. She just sat, rigid and unmoving, as the live coverage continued.

Cat saw Kara sink to the couch, and she saw the pale, vacant stare that enveloped Kara's features. "What happened?" she asked as she rushed over to hug Kara from behind.

Alex explained what she had seen. "Oh, Kara," Cat said softly. She knelt on the floor in front of the hero. "Kara, this is not your fault. You know that. Right now, you need to eat, and we need to get you cleaned up." She touched her hand to Kara's cheek. "Will you come with me to the shower, so we can wash the soot off of you?"

Kara nodded dully. She stood up and walked toward the master bathroom.

Cat turned to Alex and Lucy. "Will you get a tray of food ready? We're going to need to get some calories into her. She's exhausted. And can one of you meet me after her shower to give her some dry clothes?" They nodded silently, and got to work in the kitchen.

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When Cat reached the bathroom, Kara was standing in the doorway, staring blankly into space. "Come on, Kara, let's get this off of you," Cat asserted. Seeing that Kara was not moving, she began removing the Supergirl outfit herself. She forced herself not to admire Kara's body as she methodically removed the hero's clothing. Without bothering to take off her own outfit, Cat led Kara into the shower and turned on the water. She used the body soap to clean every speck of soot off of Kara, rubbing her hands and arms, torso, and legs, and finishing by scrubbing Kara's face with a washcloth. She then ran her hands through long, wet hair, massaging Kara's scalp as she carefully rinsed out shampoo and conditioner. When she was done, she wrapped her arms around Kara, not caring that she was standing there in sopping wet clothes. She held Kara for a few moments, and then shut off the water. She pulled a towel into the shower, and wrapped it around Kara tightly.

Alex knocked gently, and then opened the door. "Cat, you're…" she began in surprise.

"Soaked, I know. I'll survive."

Alex nodded briskly, and gently pulled Kara out of the shower. "I'll get her dressed, Cat; you go dry off."

The older woman nodded and quickly stripped off her own clothes before grabbing a towel. "I'll be back in a minute." She left to get some dry clothes for herself.

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Once the three women had gotten Kara into some dry clothes, they tucked her into Cat's bed and brought her a tray of food. Kara still hadn't said a word. Cat climbed in next to her on the bed, putting her arm around Kara and curling against her. Lucy sat down on the other side of Kara. Alex picked up a bowl of pasta, and began feeding it to Kara, one fork-full at a time. Kara shook her head to say she wasn't hungry, but Alex simply kept shoving the food toward her mouth, where Kara chewed and swallowed obediently.

When Alex was satisfied that Kara had eaten a reasonable amount, she took the tray back into the kitchen. Lucy said softly, "Kara, what happened was not your fault. You did everything you could."

Kara shook her head, and finally spoke. "I should have found him earlier. I should have gotten there faster. If I were at my apartment, I would have gotten there a minute or two earlier. If I'd checked the river myself…"

Cat interrupted her. "Kara, stop. You can't torture yourself like that. Of course you could always have done things differently, and it seems easy in retrospect. But you can't spend your life worrying about the seconds you cost yourself by spending time with friends, or the decisions you made to save the people you saw, rather than the ones you didn't. Dozens of people are safe because of you. Justin is alive because of you. You did your absolute best."

Lucy continued, "You already know all of this, Kara. You know you did everything you could. Deep down, you know that what you did tonight helped a lot of people. You need to let the rest of it go. You need to accept that you can't save everyone."

Kara shook her head and buried it in her hands. "He… he told me that his dad was safe, thanks to me. I just wish he could've been right. Those boys are without their father tonight. Nothing I do now is going to change that."

Cat wrapped her arms around Kara. "Kara, you need to let it out. I know you're upset. I know how much it hurts to think about Justin. It's okay to cry, Kara." She held the superhero tightly as a few sobs escaped. Lucy rubbed Kara's back while Cat held her, and Kara finally let go, sobbing for the boys who lost their father, and for the man who lost his life. When Alex returned, she sat there quietly and held Kara's hand.

Eventually, the tears stopped. Cat continued to hold the superhero long after the last tear had fallen. Lucy and Alex left for their own beds, and Cat arranged Kara into a sleeping position, wrapping her arms tightly around the young woman from behind. She hugged Kara while the hero fell asleep, and she was there to calm Kara when the nightmares arrived. All night long, Cat held Kara in her arms.

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Early the next morning, Kara woke up to the smell of coffee, and found herself alone in the bed. She frowned, immediately missing Cat's touch, and got up. Heading toward the kitchen, she discovered that she was the last to wake up, and that the other three women were already chatting over coffee.

Turning around, Cat smiled lovingly at Kara as the hero stretched and yawned. "Alex picked up some crullers from the store down the street."

"Yes!" Kara said eagerly, diving for the box.

Lucy chimed in. "Once you're done eating, we're all going for a ride."

"Where are we going?" Kara asked in confusion.

"You'll see," said Alex mischievously. "You need to change, though."

The four piled into Alex's car, and they drove for a while, heading toward the fires in the distance. Alex pulled into the rescue area and parked the car. All four women climbed out. "Come on," Alex said.

They entered the building that was being used as a shelter. Immediately, conversation stopped. Mouths fell open in surprise as people spotted Supergirl.

The first to recover were the Girl Scouts. They ran over, holding out pens and pads of paper. They began to speak excitedly, all at once. "Supergirl, will you sign this? Can I have your autograph? Thank you for saving us!" One little girl even wanted to know if Supergirl was ever a Girl Scout herself.

Kara signed pads of paper, writing a personal note to each girl, and answering their questions. "No," she admitted, laughing. "I was never a Girl Scout. Sounds like I missed out on some great experiences." She posed for a few pictures, and gave each girl a hug. "I'm so glad you're all okay," she said, smiling.

Alex and Lucy stood and watched the spectacle, enjoying the look of elation on Kara's face. Cat had disappeared somewhere.

When Kara finally stepped away from the Girl Scouts, she encountered dozens of other people waiting to talk with her. They were less energetic than the Girl Scout troop, but no less thankful. They credited Supergirl for saving their lives, thanked her profusely, and told her that even though they'd lost material possessions, they were grateful just to be alive. Alex could see by the look on Kara's face that she was starting to see the impact of her actions.

The last people to talk with Kara were Justin and his younger brother, Tommy. When Kara saw them, her face fell. Their eyes were red, and they clearly hadn't slept. Supergirl knelt down to give each of them a hug, whispering, "I'm so sorry." Justin assured her that they didn't blame her, and said, "Supergirl, you saved us. Thank you."

The woman standing behind the two boys stepped forward as well. "Hi, I'm Tina, Justin's and Tommy's aunt. I'll be taking care of them from now on. Thank you so much for your help. They're alive right now because of you."

One of the rescue workers cleared his throat. "Tina, Ms. Grant has informed me that Supergirl has arranged for these boys to receive a monthly allowance that should more than cover their living expenses, as well as tuition or any other unexpected costs that arise."

Tina's mouth fell open, and Kara barely stopped her own from falling open as well. Of course Cat had taken care of them, and refused to take credit for any of it. Tina launched herself into Supergirl's arms, murmuring, "Thank you so much! I'm a teacher, and I wasn't sure how I was going to manage the expenses. You have no idea what a relief this is."

Kara smiled widely at Cat, then turned back to Tina. "Whatever we can do to help."

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"Okay," Kara admitted once they were back in the car, "that was pretty cool."

Alex grinned. "Must be nice to hear how great you are."

Lucy smacked Alex lightly, and then said, "Kara, we just wanted you to see what an impact you really do have."

Kara nodded. "Thank you, all of you. It was exactly what I needed."


	23. Chapter 23

Author's Note: The rating change is in reference to this chapter, which is basically pure smut. If that's not of interest, feel free to skip this chapter entirely. You won't miss a single bit of plot.

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That afternoon, the four women packed up the car and headed back to National City. Alex and Lucy went home, and Cat invited Kara to stay at her house. She didn't want Kara to be alone with her thoughts, but she also just wanted some time alone with Kara before Carter came home tomorrow. Maybe they would be able to continue what they had started the previous evening.

The two enjoyed a relaxing dinner together, and then retired to the living room to snuggle on the couch. After a few gentle kisses, the mood intensified quickly, and they soon found themselves in search of more. "Bedroom," Cat murmured. Almost instantly, she found herself lying on the bed, with Kara settling on top of her.

Kara kissed Cat passionately, hands grasping Cat's sides and pulling her closer. She needed more contact, needed more closeness. There was too much clothing in the way. Kara's hands soon worked their way underneath Cat's shirt to feel the soft skin beneath. Cat lifted her torso slightly to allow Kara to remove the top, then closed her eyes at the gentle, hesitant touches of Kara's hands on her stomach. Kara began to slowly worship Cat's body, using her lips to explore Cat's neck and jaw while running her hands reverently over her torso. Slowly, she inched her mouth downward, while her hands settled on Cat's breasts. She slid her hands gently over Cat's bra, and placed gentle kisses over the satiny material. She spent what felt like hours alternating between hands and mouth, still not removing the bra, but exploring every inch of the lacy garment. It was incredibly seductive, and finally Cat snapped. "Take it off, please," she begged, needing to feel Kara's touch on her bare skin.

Kara obliged, and her mouth and fingers began a new exploration. She retraced her caresses, now enjoying the sensation of bare skin and soft, warm flesh beneath her hands and mouth. After running her tongue softly over a nipple, she lightly sucked on the tender flesh, causing Cat to gasp and arch her back toward the superhero. She lavished attention on one breast, and then switched to the other, devoting just as much time and effort as she had on the first. Kara more than made up for her lack of experience with tenderness and attention to detail, and Cat felt utterly cherished by the younger woman.

Just when Cat thought she couldn't take one more second, she felt Kara's hands and mouth sinking even lower. She wanted to stop the young woman. She wanted to talk with Kara about whether they were ready for this. Instead, what came out of her mouth was an incoherent murmur.

Kara paused for a moment, seeming to understand that Cat was trying to communicate. She raised her head and gently kissed Cat's lips. "Cat, I want this. You can stop trying to protect me. I'm never going to regret it. Please, just let me love you." She smiled, embarrassed. "I don't really know what I'm doing, but I've read a lot of books."

Cat pulled Kara's lips toward her own, and kissed her passionately. "For someone who doesn't know what she's doing, you're doing amazing things to my body," she murmured.

Kara smiled happily, and resumed her trail down Cat's stomach. She then worked her head even lower, pulling the yoga pants off of Cat's hips and leaving her wearing only a pair of silk panties. A sopping wet pair, she noted in satisfaction, as her mouth began to devour the woman's hips and thighs. Cat gasped every time she came close to where Cat really wanted her, but she teased the older woman endlessly, kissing every inch of those lacy panties except the spot Cat most craved.

"Kara, please. God. Please. I need…" Cat moaned.

"What do you need, Cat?" Kara asked wickedly, her confidence growing with Cat's desperate pleas. "This?" She scraped one fingernail along Cat's thigh, then followed it with a kiss. "Or maybe…" She pushed Cat's thighs apart, and pressed a soft, chaste kiss to the wet spot between her legs. "This?"

"Kara…" Cat moaned in desperation.

Kara relented, and fixed her mouth on Cat's center. She tasted her through the underwear, exploring the flavor of Cat's wetness, and probed with her tongue. "More… please, Kara…" Cat moaned. Kara smiled, and pulled down the underwear, then resumed her spot between Cat's legs. She softly ran her tongue along the length of Cat's slit, and lapped a few times, barely hard enough to feel. Cat was gasping and arching, while Kara pulled her head away, not quite ready to give in. She flicked her tongue gently through the folds, causing tremors to wrack Cat's body. Just as Cat pulled Kara's neck forward in frustration, Kara finally buried her head in Cat's wet center, licking and sucking with abandon. Cat wanted to hold out, but she was so turned on she couldn't stop herself – she came quickly, screaming Kara's name as she had the most intense orgasm of her entire life. When she regained her senses, she noticed that Kara had redoubled her efforts, and was using her fingers along with her tongue to stimulate Cat's sensitive clit. When she slid a finger into Cat, reveling in the tight warmth, the older woman gasped and her hips shoved forward. Kara used two, then three fingers, beginning with a slow and steady pace but soon matching the woman's frantic thrusts. "Cat," she moaned. "You have no idea how long I've waited for this, how long I've wanted to be inside of you. You feel so good." She slammed her fingers into the woman, fucking Cat as hard and fast as the woman could handle. Cat pushed her hips into Kara frantically, and when she came that time, her orgasm was so strong it caused her to briefly lose consciousness.

She woke up to Kara's slightly worried gaze. Kara was lying beside her, running her hands through Cat's hair. "There you are," Kara said softly, smiling.

Unable to move, barely able to speak, Cat managed to murmur incredulously, "Holy shit, Kara." That had been more intense than anything she had ever experienced. Despite claiming not to know what she was doing, Kara had played her body like a finely-tuned violin.

Kara blushed. "I, um, did some research to prepare. Studied human anatomy, read some stories, watched some videos. Was it okay?"

"No, Kara. It wasn't okay," Cat said weakly. After a pause, she continued, "It was the most incredible thing I've ever felt in my entire life. I may never recover."

Kara breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh! Well… good." She grinned, then wrapped her arms around Cat and pulled her close. It was then that Cat remembered Kara was still fully dressed. She vowed to spend the rest of the night working on that very problem. Once she regained the power to move, that is. With that thought, she fell fast asleep.

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Kara woke up a few minutes later to the feeling of warm lips brushing her cheek. As those lips continued their journey on her face, she sighed contentedly. She looped her arms around Cat's neck and pulled Cat in for a gentle kiss. But Cat had other ideas, and quickly deepened the kiss. Cat murmured, "Kara, you're wearing far too much clothing right now."

Kara smiled sleepily, confident that Cat would fix this pressing problem. She raised her back slightly to allow Cat to slip off her t-shirt, then gasped as Cat's hands enjoyed their newfound freedom. Cat reverently stroked every inch of exposed skin, from curved hips to smooth shoulders to muscled abs. She moaned softly when Cat focused her attention on her breasts, slipping her hands underneath Kara's sports bra and pulling it off of Kara's body. Cat began to lavish attention on those bare breasts, combining hands and mouth to create a torrent of sensation that nearly overwhelmed Kara. As Kara lay writhing and gasping beneath her, Cat paused for a moment to survey the young woman. "Is this too much?" she asked, voice gentle.

Kara shook her head, eyes closed. "It's amazing. I'm just… really sensitive. I don't want to hurt you."

Cat kissed Kara gently on the mouth. "Kara, you won't hurt me. I trust you. We'll go slowly, okay? And you can stop anytime."

Kara nodded, opening her eyes. "Okay."

Cat looked at her, studying the superhero. "We don't need to do this, Kara. I don't want to do anything you're not comfortable with."

"Cat," Kara said timidly, "I want to. I'm just afraid to lose control. I don't know what will happen."

"Then let's just take it slow, and help you get used to these sensations. I need you to promise me you'll stop me if you need to, for any reason."

Kara nodded. "I will."

Cat returned her attention to the hero's chest. She touched her gently, exploring with her hands and tongue, and slowly worked her way through every inch of bare skin. Every time she felt Kara getting overwhelmed, she softened her touches, maintaining the balance between comfort and arousal. To give the girl a chance to compose herself, she flipped Kara over, onto her stomach, and lavished the same attention on Kara's shoulders and back. Kara felt cherished, like every inch of her body was being explored and caressed. Cat's patience and gentleness was astounding.

After Cat had finished memorizing the curves of Kara's back, she turned her attention lower, brushing lips across Kara's waistband while running her hands down Kara's thighs. She turned the hero back over, spreading Kara's legs apart and settling on her knees between those legs, and ran her hands along the curves of Kara's jeans. Looking up at Kara, she waited, question in her eyes.

Kara looked at her, and nodded. "Please, Cat. I want you to."

Cat unhooked the button on Kara's jeans, and slid them down the woman's legs. Before returning to her spot between Kara's thighs, she paused a moment, and her breath caught in her throat. Lying there, wearing nothing but a pair of panties, was the most beautiful woman she'd ever seen. Face flushed, eyes dilated with desire, mouth open in anticipation, lay a gorgeous, powerful superhero, looking anything but invincible at the moment. Cat breathed, "Kara, you are so incredibly beautiful."

The hero blushed further, still slightly uncomfortable with being stared at, but encouraged by the lust in Cat's eyes. She reached her hands out for Cat. It occurred to the older woman that no one else had ever been given the privilege of seeing Kara like this, and that knowledge filled her with pride. She lay her naked body on top of Kara's, and kissed her with all of the love and passion that she felt. Kara moaned at the feel of Cat's body on top of hers, at the heat and softness pressed against her body. She wrapped her arms tightly around Cat, wanting to just hold her for a while, and enjoy the sensation of skin against skin. The two kissed passionately for several minutes, to give Kara a chance to enjoy this new sensation.

When Cat felt that Kara was ready, she resumed her exploration of the hero's body. Kissing Kara's stomach and abs, she focused her hands below Kara's waist, running light fingers over Kara's panties, never stopping on one area for very long, giving Kara a chance to feel her touch. Eventually, she focused her lips and hands on Kara's center, touching Kara lightly as the younger woman gasped and writhed beneath her. When she finally ran a finger roughly across the slit, Kara cried out. She followed that up with lighter touches, but began to mix in more forceful caresses. Kara slowly managed to compose herself, and when Cat thought it was time, she made eye contact with Kara again. "Please," Kara begged hoarsely.

Cat pulled Kara's panties off, and settled again between those long, beautiful legs. Kara was soaked, and she took a moment to survey the hero's beautiful, wanton state. She then knelt down and began to kiss her way up Kara's thighs as the hero trembled. When her fingers made contact with Kara's center, the woman gasped and jumped, hips automatically reaching out to thrust. "Easy, Kara, easy," Cat whispered gently, running her fingers along Kara's stomach to soothe the girl. She mixed in a few more soft caresses, helping Kara to get accustomed to these new sensations. Finally, Kara seemed ready for more focused attention, and Cat began to run her fingers along the girl's slit, massaging her clit gently and grinding her palm softly against Kara. Kara couldn't help thrusting herself against Cat's hand, but the strength of her thrusts was decidedly human, so Cat encouraged the motions. As her thrusts increased, Cat added her tongue into the mix to give Kara even more sensation. As her tongue circled Kara's clit and her fingers probed gently along Kara's center, she felt the hero twitching and moaning. "Are you ready for me, Kara?"

Kara nodded desperately, and Cat slid her finger between the folds, into Kara's tight opening. Kara gasped, and Cat just held her finger there for a moment, allowing Kara to adjust to the sensation of fullness. When she felt Kara's body relaxing, she began to move her finger in and out slightly. She resumed massaging Kara's clit with her fingers and palm, while pumping her finger in and out, setting up a slow and steady rhythm. On her next pass, Cat slid in a second finger, and she curled her fingers gently on their way out to hit the most sensitive spot. Kara began thrusting desperately toward Cat's fingers, letting out a series of high-pitched moans as she took in these incredible sensations. Cat knew the girl was approaching a climax. "Let it go, Kara. Come for me, darling." She slid three fingers in, hard. The superhero screamed something in Kryptonian as she began shaking and convulsing, her hands grabbing and ripping the bedsheets as she climaxed. Cat kept her hands and mouth on the hero's center while she slowly came down from her orgasm, massaging gently until the last spasms had subsided. Then she crawled back up Kara's body to wrap her arms around the naked woman, kissing her softly while Kara slowly came back to Earth. She whispered, "Kara, you were so amazing. So good."

Kara's arms remained flopped at her side for a few minutes, until she regained her ability to move. Then she wrapped them around Cat and pulled her closer. "Wow," she breathed gently. "That was..." She shook her head, unable to find the words, and opened her eyes. "Did I hurt you? Did I break anything?" She glanced at the ripped bedsheets. "Oh no."

Cat smiled gently at her. "You were so perfect. So trusting, and so beautiful. I have lots of sheet sets. And if you rip them every time we do this, I'm more than happy to go buy a warehouse full of them. It was incredibly sexy."

"Really?" Kara asked hopefully.

"Oh, Kara," Cat said, laughing. "Come here and kiss me, you adorable idiot."

Kara spent the rest of the night practicing her newfound talents.


	24. Chapter 24

Kara woke up Monday morning feeling relaxed and refreshed, despite only having had a couple of hours of sleep. Cat looked similarly refreshed as she leaned in to give Kara a good morning kiss. "I need a shower," Cat murmured sleepily. She pulled herself away and got out of bed. "Are you coming?" she asked, eyebrow raised. Kara scrambled after her, only using the slightest burst of super-speed to catch up with the older woman.

After a lengthy shower, they were feeling quite relaxed and running only slightly late for work. Cat took her car to work, while Kara flew, so that they wouldn't arrive at the same time. Just as Kara stepped into her office, however, she was alerted via text to an overturned tractor trailer. She arrived on the scene to see a truck on its side, blocking the four-lane highway. Traffic had slowed to a halt as the drivers waited for police to somehow clear the road. Supergirl was able to lift the truck easily, flipping it right-side-up and then setting it gently into the breakdown lane. She was back in her office ten minutes later.

The rest of the morning passed in similar fashion. Kara was trying to get some research done on her domestic violence article, which had yet to be finished due to last week's interruptions. She was hoping to have a completed article by the end of the day, but a morning full of mini-emergencies was making that hard to accomplish. So when Alex called her at lunchtime to alert her of another issue, Kara was thoroughly frustrated.

"Kara, I'm sorry. I wouldn't call you, except it's an alien. I guess the police tried to put him in a regular jail, and he escaped, killing two officers. He's on South Street, throwing cars around and causing chaos."

"Okay, Alex. I'm on my way."

"Meet you there, Kara. And be careful. We don't know what his powers are, but he can probably hurt you."

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Supergirl landed on South Street and surveyed the chaos. Cars were thrown into buildings, light poles bent or knocked over, and wires lay sizzling on the street. The absurdly-muscled, beady-eyed alien was currently heaving a car full of people toward a brick building. The hero caught the car as it approached the building, and set it down gently. She whirled around just as the alien began taunting her.

"Supergirl, here to try and stop me? This should be fun." He surged toward the superhero, smashing into her and sending her toward the nearest building.

Supergirl slammed into the bricks, feeling a few crumble behind her. This guy was pretty strong. Still, she made her way toward the alien, landing a few blistering punches before feeling him grab her into a headlock. The two wrestled for control, until finally Supergirl gained the upper hand. She heard the DEO van pull up, and Alex shouting at her to contain the alien. As she glanced up at Alex, her grasp loosened just enough to allow the alien to reach into his boot. She looked down just in time to see a dagger slamming into her stomach with enough force to break the skin.

Kara felt lightheaded. She fought to keep her hold on the alien until Alex reached her, and then she slumped to the ground as they handcuffed the alien. "Nice job, Supergirl," Alex said. Then she looked more carefully at Kara. "Are you okay?"

With her remaining strength, Kara pulled the dagger out. She felt slightly better. "I'm good, Alex. That really hurt, though."

Alex looked at the dagger in Kara's hands, and then glanced at the exposed skin on her stomach, which was already beginning to heal. "You need to get that looked at, Kara."

Kara shook her head. "No way. I'm so behind right now; I need to get back to work. Alex, you know I'll be fine."

Alex sighed. Every instinct in her body was telling her that Kara needed to get checked out. But she felt guilty for having interrupted Kara's work day so many times, and couldn't bear to force Kara to miss more time today. "Fine, I'll let it go. But Kara, if it gets worse, if you have any other symptoms…"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll let you know." Kara flew off, back to CatCo. She noticed that flying was a little harder than usual, but considering she'd just been stabbed, that was probably understandable. She went back to her office and got to work.

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Cat came to check on Kara shortly after the hero returned to her office. She had seen the hero get stabbed, nearly lose consciousness, and then pull the dagger out of her stomach, and she needed to check on Kara's health for herself. She closed the office door, and then demanded, "Stand up."

Kara stood up and walked over to Cat. "I'm okay, Cat. It's okay."

Cat refused to take her word for it. "Take it off," she said, gesturing to Kara's top.

Kara sighed. She took off her blouse, and pulled at the Supergirl suit to bare her chest. Cat was relieved to see that the skin had stitched itself back together, but she didn't like the look of the purplish bruise that had formed beneath it. She stepped forward, running her hands along the hero's stomach, and felt Kara shiver in response to her gentle touch. She smiled, and pulled Kara into a long, comforting kiss. "I'm glad you're okay. I want to see that later on, though, and make sure the bruise is disappearing."

Kara nodded and put her shirt back on.

Cat gave her one more kiss on the cheek, and then opened the door and returned to her own office.

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By early evening, Kara had finished a draft of her article, and she was ready to go home. She was tired and achy. Cat would be spending the evening with Carter, and Kara wanted them to have some time by themselves, so she was going back to her place. She sent the draft to her editor, and got ready to go home, stopping in Cat's office on the way.

Cat looked up from her desk, eyes warming at the sight of Kara. "Done for the day?" she asked. Kara nodded, and Cat gestured her toward the balcony.

Once the two were standing out there, Cat said, "I need to see it again." Kara sighed and bared her chest quickly. Cat saw that the bruise's color had faded slightly, but it was significantly larger than before. She wasn't sure if that was a good sign or a bad one. "Kara, you need to get that checked out."

Kara shook her head, determined not to spend her night at the DEO. "Cat, I just need to get some rest. If it's not better in the morning, I'll go. I promise."

"All right," Cat said, sighing. "I suppose you know your own body better than I do. I don't like it, though." She stepped forward and kissed Kara, long and hard. "Call or text me before you go to bed, okay?"

Kara smiled and nodded. "Talk to you later."

When Kara got home, she thought briefly about dinner, and the frozen pizzas in her freezer. Right now, though, she was too tired to be hungry. She just wanted to sleep. Kara crashed on her couch, turned on Jeopardy, and fell asleep instantly.

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Alex left the DEO a little after seven, and thought briefly about going home. But she was worried about Kara, and the dagger she had seen protruding from her sister's chest. She wanted to make sure Kara was okay. She called in a pizza order, and showed up thirty minutes later with two large pizzas in her hand. If Kara was annoyed by her arrival, the presence of pizzas would soften the blow considerably.

She knocked on the door, but received no answer. Maybe Kara was taking a shower or something. She used her spare key to enter the apartment, and saw Kara passed out on the couch. She hurried over before realizing that her sister was simply asleep. She leaned over to give Kara a kiss on the forehead. "Kara, I brought you pizza," she said softly. That was guaranteed to wake Kara up.

She was somewhat surprised to see Kara barely stir. "Alex?" A pause. "Did you say pizza?"

Alex smiled. "Yes, Kara."

Kara fought to open her eyes. She was really tired. "Pizza sounds good. Forgot dinner."

Alex's eyes widened in alarm. Forgetting to eat just wasn't something that Kara did. She brought Kara one of the boxes, and saw that the girl had fallen asleep again.

Now, Alex was scared. "Kara, wake up," she said urgently. "This isn't like you."

"Just tired," Kara mumbled. "Nap."

"No," said Alex, shaking her sister gently. She pulled Kara up into a sitting position. "I need you to wake up."

"K," Kara responded. She opened her eyes groggily. "Alex, I'm tired."

Alex nodded. "I know, Kara." She pulled off Kara's shirt and inspected the area where the dagger had impaled her sister earlier. She was alarmed to see a bruise covering Kara's entire stomach. "Shit." She grabbed her phone to call Lucy. "Luce? We need to get Kara there, ASAP. Send a chopper to Kara's apartment."

She looked at Kara, fighting to keep her eyes open. "Kara, I need you to stay awake for me. Just for a little while, okay?"

Kara nodded weakly.

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When Alex and Kara reached the DEO, Lucy was waiting for them. Alex explained, "I think the dagger must have had some sort of poison on it. We need to analyze it as quickly as possible." Lucy nodded, and Alex went to her lab to start working.

Unfortunately, that left Lucy with the obligation of calling Cat. She sighed, then dialed the phone. "Cat? We have Kara here at the DEO. Something's wrong, and we think the dagger might have injected some sort of poison in her."

She paused to listen for a minute. "Cat, slow down. No, she's okay, just really tired. Are you sure you want to come here? You can stay there with Carter, and… Yeah, okay. I'll send Vasquez. She'll be there in half an hour."

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When Cat entered the DEO this time, she headed straight for the treatment area. Lucy was standing there, watching as doctors checked Kara's vital signs. The superhero was fast asleep.

Lucy turned to Cat. Seeing the panicked look on her face, Lucy gave Cat a long, comforting hug. "Alex is working on it, Cat. There was a poison on the surface of the blade, something we've never seen before. Now that she knows what it is, Alex is creating the antidote. Shouldn't be long now."

Just then, Alex came rushing in with a vial of liquid. "I think this will work." She injected the antidote into Kara's IV, and held her breath for a moment as she waited to see how Kara responded. A minute later, several of Kara's monitors started beeping, indicating that her pulse rate and blood pressure were falling. "Shit," Alex said. "Come on, Kara. You're stronger than this."

As everyone stared at the monitors, Kara's pulse and blood pressure started to creep in the right direction. Soon, the alarms had stopped, and Kara was resting peacefully. Cat sagged against the wall. "She needs to stop doing things like this. My heart can't take it."

Alex smiled and wrapped herself around Cat tightly. "She's okay now, Cat. It's working."

Cat shook her head. "I told her to go get that bruise checked out. She wanted to go home and sleep. I should've known."

Lucy responded, "Cat, it's not your fault. Kara just needs to understand that she's not invincible."

Cat nodded. "Well, thank God for her sister," she answered, hugging Alex even tighter.


	25. Chapter 25

Tuesday morning found a very antsy Kara fighting with her doctor. "I'm fine. I need to go to work. I've missed too much time lately, and I need to catch up."

Dr. Morris shook her head. "No way. You're staying home today. Director's orders."

Hank and Alex came in, and Alex grinned. "Is she fighting with you already? Glad to see she's feeling better. Come on Supergirl, Cat's penthouse is waiting. I'm accompanying you today, because no one trusts you to stay home if we leave you alone. So we'll be hanging out at Cat's place, and I'll be drinking all of her scotch while you rest. I think Lucy is coming too."

"We're going to Cat's apartment?" Kara said hopefully.

"We are. She wouldn't hear of you staying anywhere else. Apparently she feels better having you there, where she can keep an eye on you."

"Okay," Kara said quietly.

Alex, who had been prepared to argue for much longer, shook her head. "Wow. Talk about whipped."

Kara just smiled happily.

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Alex discovered that Cat had more scotch than she could ever drink in her life, so she settled for making a small dent in the supply. "This stuff is amazing," she slurred happily, flopping down onto the couch.

Kara just rolled her eyes, laughing. "You're drunk."

"Well yeah, that's kinda the point, isn't it?"

Kara responded, smiling, "I wouldn't know."

Lucy entered the room with her fifth or sixth glass of whiskey. She had lost count somewhere around three or four. Alex declared, "Never mind that. I need a hot, rich girlfriend of my own to buy me scotch. And for sex. Lots and lots of sex."

Kara sighed happily.

Suddenly alert, Alex spun to look at Kara. "You've had sex? Why wasn't I told? I need details."

"Oh my God," Lucy squealed. "Kara, how was it? Tell me everything."

Kara blushed a deep crimson. "I didn't say that. I didn't say anything."

Alex responded, "You may not have said anything, but your face said it all. Come on, Kara, is she the Queen of All Sex?" She snorted at her own terrible joke.

Kara fidgeted uncomfortably, still blushing a deep red. "I am NOT talking about this. Not with two drunk people."

"Talking about what?" asked a voice from the hallway. Cat Grant entered, looking tired but gorgeous. Kara immediately wanted to end this conversation about sex and focus on the real activity.

"Finally, someone who will answer our questions," Alex declared. "Cat, you and Kara had sex?"

Cat laughed. Seeing the look on Kara's face, she laughed even harder. "I'm not sure that Kara is going to survive this conversation." She grinned and continued. "But yes we did, and it was the most amazing night of my life."

Lucy sighed happily. "How many times?"

Cat smirked. "I think I lost count around five or six."

"Five or… Oh my God," Alex said. "I need to know everything."

Cat was thoroughly enjoying watching Kara squirm. Plus, she was happy to talk about what had been an incredible experience. "Well, I probably would have waited longer, but Kara can be very… persuasive when she wants to be. Before long, I was begging her not to stop."

Kara buried her face in her hands. Lucy looked at Cat and grinned, knowing how much she was enjoying Kara's reactions. "Where, exactly, was her mouth when you were begging her?"

"Well," Cat said. "It's hard to remember. It seemed like it was everywhere at once. She's pretty talented." She laughed and glanced at Kara, determined to push this even further. "Apparently she has done tons of reading, and watched a lot of videos, in preparation for that night. She was an expert, and I hadn't expected that at all. It was so incredibly hot."

Kara moaned and sank down onto the floor. She curled into the fetal position and wrapped her arms over her head.

Lucy chimed in, giggling. "Tell me, Cat, is Kara a screamer?"

Cat grinned. "Let's just say that it's a good thing Carter wasn't around, because she wasn't exactly quiet. And I learned some Kryptonian phrases that I probably shouldn't repeat."

At this point, Alex was rolling around on the couch, laughing hysterically. Lucy was giggling, and Cat was grinning. Kara was trying to melt into the floor. When Alex finally regained control, she sighed and said, "So incredibly jealous right now."

Cat smiled and said, "Alex, you could have any of a number of women."

"Nah," Alex said. "I'm universally friend-zoned."

"That's not true at all," retorted Lucy. "You're just clueless when people are attracted to you."

Cat smirked. It was time to leave these two alone. "I'm going to go make dinner. Kara, I think I'm going to need your help."

Kara managed to peel herself off the floor and leave the room.

"What did you mean by that?" Alex asked, confused.

Lucy answered, "Alex, you're smart, kind, and incredibly hot. Who wouldn't want to sleep with you?'

Alex responded, "You're drunk."

Lucy laughed. "Of course I'm drunk. But I'm also being honest."

"Really?" Alex said, encouraged. She'd had a crush on Lucy for as long as she'd known the woman. But Lucy was straight. Wasn't she? "You and James…" Alex trailed off.

"Are over," finished Lucy. "And in answer to the question you're not asking, I'm bi." She stood up suddenly. "We're not talking about this while we're drunk. But…" She leaned down and placed a soft kiss on Alex's cheek. "I'm definitely interested, if you are." She straightened up, smiled at Alex, and left the room.

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Carter came home, and the five of them had dinner. Carter was delighted to spend more time with Alex, and he insisted on showing her his collection of video games. The two were soon embroiled in a Mario Kart war, while Cat, Kara, and Lucy watched in amusement. Cat sat curled into Kara on the couch, and was watching her son with a fond expression. Lucy, meanwhile, was mesmerized by Alex, who had sobered up enough to give Carter a run for his money.

Noticing Lucy's gaze, Cat grinned. It appeared these two would need no further encouragement. She was pleased to see that things were progressing, and sincerely hoped it would work out. The two women were so perfect for each other.

When Alex and Lucy got up to leave for the night, Cat insisted on sending them home with her driver, because they had been drinking. She noticed that Alex took Lucy's hand as they were leaving, and that Lucy didn't seem to mind the contact at all.

Meanwhile, Cat was focused on her own girlfriend, and on finding the time to repeat last night's activities with the beautiful superhero. She sent Carter up to get ready for bed, and murmured for Kara to meet her in her room once she had said good night to Carter.

When Cat finally stepped into her bedroom, she nearly fainted in shock. There was Kara, lying on the bed in just a red lacy bra and a matching pair of underwear. She could hardly contain the flame of desire that surged through her, and she quickly stepped toward the bed. Kara looked at her shyly, a question in her eyes. Cat murmured, "You are more beautiful than anything I could ever have imagined," and then leaned down and kissed her with desperation. She spent the rest of the night making sure that Kara knew exactly how much she wanted her.


	26. Chapter 26

"Supergirl, we have a report of some Kryptonians trying to break into Max Lord's labs. Alex and Lucy are already there, but I'm sure they could use some support."

"I thought we got rid of the evil Kryptonians."

"Apparently not all of them," Hank responded.

"Okay," Kara said. "I'm on my way."

She had just finished up some interviews, and was about to begin writing an article. Instead, she set that aside and flew to Lord Industries. When she got there, she saw three Kryptonians easily avoiding the blasts sent by Alex and Lucy, due to their Kryptonite shields. She sighed, and flew at the first intruder. She tackled him, ripping the shield off his uniform, and threw him to the ground. Alex easily zapped him with the Kryptonite gun. The other two intruders took note. They charged her simultaneously, and she gritted her teeth to the impending pain, choosing to rip the shields off rather than blocking their punches. The two men knocked her hard into the ground, but before she lost consciousness Kara verified that she had both shields in her hands. Lucy and Alex would have to take it from there.

She woke up a few moments later to Lucy's worried voice. "I'm okay, Lucy. They just knocked me out for a minute. Did you get them?"

Lucy smiled. "We did, thanks to you." She pointed to Alex, who was loading the unconscious bodies into the van. Suddenly another Kryptonian swooped in, and Lucy and Kara watched in horror as he slammed into Alex. Supergirl took off, making contact with him before he was even aware of her presence, and she slammed him into the ground and punched him several times, knocking him out cold. She wanted to inflict more damage, but managed to stop herself in order to check on Alex.

Lucy had beaten her to it, however. "Please be okay, Alex. Talk to me."

A groggy Alex murmured something unintelligible, and Lucy sagged in relief. "Damn it, Alex, we haven't even had a date yet. Don't scare me like that."

Kara spun around in surprise at Lucy's comment, just in time to see Lucy leaning down to kiss Alex. She grinned at this new development. When Alex wrapped her arms around Lucy's neck and pulled her down to deepen the kiss, Kara looked away in a combination of delight and embarrassment.

She walked over to the two agents. "Do you think you could pull yourselves apart long enough to take these prisoners away?" They broke apart, and glanced at her grinning face. Neither one looked even remotely embarrassed.

Alex suggested, "How about we continue this conversation later?"

Lucy smiled and nodded. "Sounds good."

Kara rolled her eyes and headed back to work. She stopped in Cat's office on her way back to her desk, and closed the door. "So I was just with Alex and Lucy…"

Cat grinned. "Were they holding hands?" Kara shook her head. "Kissing?"

Kara nodded, face flushed. "Wait, how did you already know they were together?" Kara asked, seeing Cat's total lack of surprise.

"Darling, you really need to pay closer attention. While you were dying of embarrassment yesterday, Lucy was admitting her attraction to Alex."

"What? I was there. She didn't say anything like that. And then you pulled me into the kitchen… oh." Kara shook her head. These kinds of things were completely beyond her.

Cat laughed. "Go back to work, Kara."

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It had been a week since Kara's latest near-death experience, and the two women were starting to settle into a routine. Most nights, Kara stayed at Cat's apartment, hanging out with Cat and Carter in the evening, and then sleeping in Cat's bed. The sex was incredible, but Cat also liked snuggling with Kara, and being there to comfort her after nightmares. Although less frequent than they were several weeks ago, the dreams were still a typical part of Kara's nights. Perhaps they always would be.

Tonight was Kara's movie night with Alex, and Cat found herself alone in a very empty bed. When had she become so dependent on the superhero? Just then, her phone beeped to signal an incoming text message. She looked at the screen, and smiled when she discovered it was from Kara. "I miss you. My bed is so lonely without you."

Cat responded, "I miss you too. My balcony door is unlocked."

A few moments later, the superhero entered her bedroom, wearing pajamas. Cat patted the spot next to her on the bed, and Kara slipped in. Their lips met in a desperate kiss. "How can I possibly miss you so much after a few hours?" Kara whispered.

"I don't know, Kara, but I feel the same way. I can't sleep without you here."

Kara smiled at Cat's comment. "Me neither," she admitted.

They wrapped their arms around each other, kissing and snuggling, and quickly fell asleep.

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"Of course it's okay, mom. She's basically living here already anyway."

"I know, Carter, but it's been just you and me for so long. Are you sure you're okay having Kara here all the time?"

Carter smiled. It wasn't often that he saw his mother so insecure. "Mom, I love Kara, and she makes you so happy. I think it's a great idea."

"Well… do you think she'll agree that it's a good idea? Am I moving too fast?"

Carter laughed. "You're asking me for dating advice? You must be pretty desperate." Seeing the anxiety in her eyes, he relented. "Mom, Kara loves you. Of course she'll think it's a good idea. She would never refuse you anything."

Just then, Cat heard the balcony door open and close. "Hey guys. Sorry, I had to help with a bus that got stuck." Kara came around the corner, wearing her supersuit and completely covered in mud from head to toe. Carter took one look at her and started giggling, and Cat had to suppress a smile at the ridiculous picture.

Kara looked down at herself, embarrassed. "Oops. Be right back."

Less than thirty seconds later, she had returned, wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt, and without a trace of mud.

"Kara, Carter and I have been talking about something, and we wanted to bring it up with you."

"Should I be nervous?" Kara asked hesitantly.

Cat laughed. "Come here, Kara," she said, patting the spot next to her on the couch. When Kara sat down, she grabbed the hero's hand and began, "We wanted to know how you would feel about living here with us." She paused at the startled look on Kara's face. "I know It's kind of fast, and if you don't feel comfortable with it, that's okay. We just thought… well, you're such a big part of our lives now, it would be nice if you were here all the time." She stopped herself from talking, worried that she was beginning to pick up Kara's habit of babbling when she was nervous.

"Cat… I would love to." She grinned widely. "Are you sure it's okay with both of you?"

"Of course, Kara. We both love you." She pulled the hero closer, and began kissing her gently. They wrapped their arms around each other and were lost in the moment until Carter commented, "Okay, I really don't need to see this."

Both women grinned sheepishly, too happy to be embarrassed.

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There was only one person Cat could talk with about her current predicament. She picked up her phone, and dialed. "Lucy, I need some legal advice."

"Cat, you know I'm not your lawyer anymore, right?"

"Yes, but you're the only one I can talk to about Kara."

Lucy brightened. "In that case, I'm more than happy to help. When and where?"

They settled on a 12:30 lunch meeting. When the time arrived, Cat met Lucy at a local diner. "I can't believe you made me come here," Cat grumbled.

Lucy laughed. "They have salads here, Cat, and they're actually pretty good. You're just upset because you know you want the cheeseburger." When the waiter arrived, she immediately ordered a cheeseburger. Cat sighed and ordered the same, glaring at a grinning Lucy.

"So, Cat. What do you need advice on?"

"Lucy, eventually people are going to find out about our relationship. You know it's going to look bad for Kara, getting a promotion and then it'll come out that she's sleeping with the boss."

Lucy nodded. It would be bad for both Cat and Kara, but of course Cat's only concern was for the younger woman. "And you want to know how to handle it?"

Cat nodded. "What should I do?"

Lucy looked at Cat closely. "Is there any possibility that the two of you might break up?"

Cat said quietly, "I'm not leaving her. Ever. If it were up to me, we'd be married tomorrow. But I'm taking things slowly for Kara. I doubt she's ready for that kind of commitment."

Lucy couldn't help smiling at the woman's declaration. That was basically the answer she had expected, but she still enjoyed seeing the love written all over Cat's face. "Have I told you lately how freaking adorable you two are?" At Cat's glare, she backtracked. "Okay, okay. Look, your reputation is going to take a hit. You know that, right?"

Cat responded, "I don't care about that. I care about Kara."

Lucy nodded. "You're going to need to put decisions about her promotions and salary in someone else's hands. You're not going to be able to be her supervisor. And you're going to need to disclose the relationship to HR, before it leaks to the public."

Cat nodded.

Lucy paused. "We need to find a way to break the story so that everyone can see the two of you together. Once they see the two of you, there's no denying how much you love each other. Let's try to come up with some function where you can take Kara as your date. Preferably one with lots of personal contact, maybe dancing. We'll get a photographer to follow you around and capture all those disgustingly cute moments."

Cat nodded. "Kara's going to hate this."

Lucy nodded. "She will, but she'll be glad not to have to hide this secret anymore. She'll handle it. Come up with an event, and we'll work out a timeline for the rest of it."

"Sounds good. Thanks, Lucy."

"Of course, Cat. And one more thing." She waited until Cat looked at her. "Go buy Kara a ring. She doesn't need you to take things slowly. She's already yours." With a smile, Lucy left the restaurant.


	27. Chapter 27

"I have to go to Orlando for a week," Cat reluctantly announced to Kara. "After the nightclub incident, the Orlando office has a lot of work to do, and I think they could use some guidance. I want to be there to make sure we cover it well." She looked at Kara. "Will you be okay staying here with Carter, or should I have him go to his dad's for the week?"

Kara tried to hide her disappointment. She had just moved in, and already Cat was leaving. At least she was being trusted to look after Carter. If nothing else, it would be a chance for the two of them to spend time together. "Cat, of course we'll be okay. Don't even think about sending Carter away. I would love to spend more time with him."

Cat could see the hint of disappointment on Kara's face. She placed her hand lightly on Kara's cheek. "I'll be home as soon as I can, Kara. I don't want to leave you either."

Kara nodded reluctantly.

Cat went to Carter's room to discuss the trip with him, while Kara texted Alex the news. A moment later, she received a text from Alex: "Lucy wants to talk to Cat."

She saw Cat emerge from Carter's room, answering her phone. "What's up, Lucy? Right, I think I need to go there to supervise… Oh! You really think so? Are you sure about this? Well yeah, of course he'd like to go to Disney. What kid wouldn't? All right. We'll talk about it. Bye, Lucy."

Cat put down the phone, and looked at Kara. "Have you ever been to Disney World?"

Puzzled, Kara shook her head.

"Well, how do you feel about you and Carter coming with me?"

Kara's eyes lit up. "Really? I'd love to!"

Cat smiled. "Good. But Kara, we need to talk about this. Lucy thinks it might be a good way for us to break our relationship to the media. We could have a photographer come along, take some pictures of us spending time together, and then break the news all at once, so people can see how much we love each other."

Kara suddenly looked very nervous. "Are you sure, Cat?"

Cat laughed. "No. I'd rather keep you a secret forever, and protect you from any backlash that you would face. But that's not realistic. We need to break this story before someone else does. And if Lucy thinks this is a good way to break the news, then we should do it. I trust her judgment."

Kara nodded. "Okay."

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They decided that Kara should take a week of personal time. Cat didn't want anyone at CatCo to think that she was showing favoritism by bringing the young reporter to Orlando, rather than inviting a more experienced journalist. Kara and Carter would simply be taking a vacation in Orlando, and would spend a few days at Disney while she worked with the Orlando office.

Alex sulked when she found out that Kara was going to Disney World without her. The two sisters had discussed going there together someday. Cat rolled her eyes and told Alex she could come too, along with Lucy. Cat also, reluctantly, invited James. They would need a photographer, and James Olsen was the most talented one she knew. It would be awkward, but perhaps it would give James a chance to reestablish a relationship with Kara.

When Cat explained the situation to James, he stood there in stunned silence for a moment. Eventually, he nodded and said that he would be happy to help, although the expression on his face looked more like jealousy than happiness.

And, she supposed… if she was inviting all of Kara's friends, Winn should probably come too. After all, she owed the young man for his heroics with the bomb at CatCo. Summoning him to her office, she couldn't resist a little bit of torture.

"Witt! I've been reviewing your work over the last three weeks, what little there was of it." She glared at him, and he began to stammer apologies about working harder in the future. "I've decided that you need some time off," she continued, ignoring his words entirely. He fell silent and cringed, knowing that he was about to be fired. "You're coming with us to Orlando for a week."

After a moment of stunned silence, Winn looked up. "I'm… what?"

Cat smiled gently, a rare and terrifying sight for the computer guru. "Kara, James, Lucy, Alex, Carter, and I are all going to Orlando for a week, and I thought you might want to come."

"I… yes! I would love to come!" Winn stood there in disbelief. Not only wasn't he being fired; he was being offered a free vacation.

Cat shook her head and rolled her eyes. "We're leaving tomorrow, at 9 a.m. Can you be ready?" She hoped the poor man would survive the trip.

Winn nodded. "I'll be ready. Ms. Grant… thank you!"

"You earned it, Winn," she said softly.

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As the group walked through Orlando International Airport, Kara couldn't contain her excitement. "Look, it's Mickey!" she squealed, pointing to a large plush figurine.

"Kara, it's a stuffed animal." Cat turned to Alex. "Is she going to be like this all week?"

Alex grinned. "Much worse," she predicted. "Wait till she sees the real Mickey."

Cat looked down at her phone to hide her smile. She quickly texted the resort they were staying at, instructing them to have the largest stuffed animal Mickey they could find delivered to her bedroom.

They were picked up by a massive limousine, which delivered them to a pair of villas – one for Cat, Kara, Carter, and Linda (Carter's nanny), and the second for Lucy, Alex, Winn, and James. Kara gushed about the lakeside location and gorgeous accommodations, and squealed with delight when she entered the bedroom and saw a huge stuffed Mickey lying on the bed. Cat grinned at Kara's excitement.

Eight people, along with one very large stuffed animal, soon piled back into the limo. Kara couldn't wait to see the Magic Kingdom. When they entered, she dragged the entire group over to Cinderella's castle, and insisted on getting a group shot with the Disney princess. Carter rolled his eyes. "Kara, you know she's an actress, right?" No one had the heart to say no to Kara, though, so they suffered through the photos.

After they had endured the indignity of pictures with Cinderella, Carter insisted on going on some rides. They raced over to Space Mountain, where Lucy went hoarse from screaming and Carter announced it really wasn't all that scary. Next, they braved the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Splash Mountain, where to the delight of the rest of the group, Cat got completely soaked. Winn managed to hide his smile and offer her a towel when Cat fixed her glare upon him. They spent the rest of the afternoon going from one ride to the next, teasing each other and laughing delightedly at the expressions that James managed to capture on his camera. James, for his part, was shocked to see the relationship between Cat and Kara. It was so much more than he had expected. The complete devotion in Cat's eyes was unlike anything he'd ever seen from the media mogul. It was obvious that she was completely, desperately in love. And Kara's own glances, an intense mixture of adoration and desire, demonstrated the strength of her own feelings. It made him realize that what he'd had with Kara couldn't possibly compare to the relationship these two shared. He was glad he'd been given a chance to see it up close.

By the time the group had enjoyed a dinner at Cinderella's castle and watched the fireworks, they were ready to head back to the resort. Cat would need to get up early the next day to go into the offices, and the rest of them would head back to the park. On the limo ride back, Kara curled her body into Cat's, resting her head on the older woman's shoulder, while Cat held her tightly. Alex wrapped her arms around Lucy, and James glanced at them in surprise. When they reached the resorts, the two couples were only too eager to head to their bedrooms for the night.

Once the door had closed, Kara turned to Cat, pulling the older woman close and kissing her gently. "Cat… You do so much for me. Thank you," she murmured, wrapping her arms tightly around Cat.

Cat shook her head. "Today was fun. I didn't do anything. Although right now I want to do a lot of things, none of them G-rated."

Kara grinned. "How about we lie down on the bed, and you tell me all of the things you want to do. We're at a place where dreams can come true."

Cat shook her head. "I'd much rather show you," she murmured. She pulled the hero toward the bed, and the two crashed down onto it, kissing passionately. Arms roamed, exploring each other, while legs intertwined to link the two even more tightly. Soon, shirts and pants were discarded, leaving two beautiful, sexy women adorned in only their underwear. They pulled each other ever closer, yanking underwear off and sliding thighs and hands over warm, slick regions. They needed more. They needed to be closer. Cat sat up slightly and settled herself on top of Kara's leg, one thigh resting between Kara's legs and the other thrown over Kara's hip. She pushed one of Kara's thighs up, further exposing Kara's most sensitive areas. She inched closer, the spread of her own thighs exposing her center, rocking until she felt the woman's wetness. She rubbed them together slightly, sighing in relief at finally being close enough to her Kara, and felt the ease with which they slid over each other, their wetness providing a thick coating for their movement. She worked her movements into a grinding motion, slow and gentle at first. Her motions grew faster and faster, harder and harder, until she was gasping and grinding vigorously. She grabbed Kara's raised thigh, and rode Kara hard, moaning at the sensation of having her lover so close. Kara, too, was gasping and moaning at the intimate contact. As she sped up her motions even more, she felt herself losing control of the rising torrent of feeling. She whispered, "Come with me, Kara," as she felt herself falling over the edge. From Kara's response, she could tell that the woman experienced the same sensations. They continued to rub against each other, gently now, while they worked their way down. "Oh my God," Kara panted. "How do you keep finding new ways to make me feel so amazing?"

Cat smiled and kissed her beautiful superhero. "It's hard not to, when I see such a gorgeous woman in front of me. All mine."

"Completely yours," breathed Kara.

Cat smiled, and proceeded to cherish every inch of her beautiful superhero.


	28. Chapter 28

The group spent several relaxing days wandering the Disney parks, while Cat worked with the Orlando staff to coordinate their coverage. Kara and Carter discovered that they enjoyed all of the same rides, and became inseparable as they rushed from one thrill ride to the next. The only interruptions to their thrill rides came when an animated character appeared, reducing Kara to a squealing mess until she'd gotten her hugs and photos. No amount of cajoling could tear Kara away from the costumed characters. The only creature she disliked was Figment. "Why is he a purple dinosaur with orange eyes? Doesn't he know how scary those eyes are? And that voice… super creepy," Kara declared, shivering slightly. Carter was just grateful to avoid a photo opportunity.

By Wednesday, the group decided to take a day off from the parks. They would instead visit the beach, doing some tanning, swimming, and surfing. Alex and Kara were experienced surfers, having grown up on the coast. James had never surfed before, but he picked it up quickly, and Lucy's athletic talents allowed her to keep up with the others. The biggest surprise, though, was Carter. He was a natural. Cat had agreed to allow him to go as long as Kara was with him, figuring that her superpowers would keep him out of trouble. But Kara quickly discovered he didn't need her help. Carter's sense of balance was impressive, and he was soon riding small waves as he learned to maneuver the surfboard. James took some videos to show Cat the boy's talents, but he also got a few images depicting the love for Carter that shined in Kara's eyes. He suspected that Cat would like those photos more.

While they were in Orlando, Cat felt it was important that they visit a gay nightclub, both to allow James a chance to take some romantic photos and to make a statement about not being dissuaded by terrorists. The club involved in the shooting had not yet re-opened, so they selected another nightclub to visit. Carter was obviously too young to go, and would stay home with his nanny. Winn quickly volunteered to keep them company, not sure how he felt about being a single man at a gay nightclub. Lucy rolled her eyes at his squeamishness, shaking her head and muttering, "Men and their homophobia." James would come to take some pictures of the event, as well as shots of Cat and Kara. Alex and Lucy were thrilled to spend a night out together, and Kara simply nodded her assent, not sure yet how she felt about having pictures taken of her dancing with Cat.

When they arrived at the club, they were immediately escorted to the VIP area. Traveling with Cat Grant made it hard to remain inconspicuous. They would have to be careful not to make any gossip magazines. Still, it was a chance for the two couples to spend time together, and they were determined to enjoy it. Cat appointed her security guards to watch for paparazzi or gossip reporters, and they settled into a booth. After ordering drinks, Lucy and Alex got up to dance. Both women were excellent dancers, and they soon lost themselves in the music. Kara watched them affectionately as they transitioned into a slow song, wrapping their bodies tightly together, with Lucy's head resting on Alex's shoulder. Cat grabbed her hand and tugged. "Come on, Kara. Dance with me."

She led Kara out onto the dance floor. When they found an open spot, Cat pulled Kara toward her, wrapping her arms around the superhero. They snuggled against each other, Kara holding Cat close to her body, and swayed to the music. After a minute or two, Cat tipped her head upward and met Kara's lips with her own. The two kissed passionately, never letting go of their tight embrace. Anyone who saw these two would have no doubt that they were completely in love. As the music transitioned back into faster music, the two oblivious women continued their makeout session on the floor. James snapped dozens of pictures. Eventually, Alex and Lucy came over to take a break. "Damn," Lucy said, surveying the two women. "That's hot."

Suddenly, Kara broke the kiss, spinning her head around. "Cat," she whispered, "something's wrong."

Cat looked at her with concern. "What's going on, Kara?"

"I overheard something… There's a guy with a gun. He's in the back. I have to go."

Cat grabbed Kara's hand. "Wait… Kara, you can't be Supergirl here. Work with Lucy and Alex. You need to do this without the cape."

Kara beckoned Lucy and Alex over, and the three devised a plan. They would sneak up on the intruder, and try to take control without using Kara's super-strength. Kara described the layout, and they got to work.

Lucy approached the gunman from the front. He was hiding the gun, so she walked up to him slowly, flirting with him and asking if he wanted to dance. She wasn't sure if the man was straight or gay, but Alex assured her that either way, she would be hard to resist. Besides, James wanted no part of that role.

The man responded nervously, saying he didn't really feel like dancing. Meanwhile, Alex and Kara approached him from behind. Lucy, refusing to be dissuaded, ran her hands down the front of his shirt, distracting him enough for Alex and Kara to grab for the gun. The man was no match for the strength of a trained agent and a superhero, and Kara soon had the gun in her possession. She began to bend the gun in half, but Alex's frantic head shake reminded her that she probably shouldn't do that. Instead, they brought the man over to security and explained the situation, with Alex and Lucy flipping open authentic-looking FBI badges. Once the man was safely in handcuffs, they relaxed and returned to their table. The owner came over to thank them for their help, and insisted on providing them all with free drinks for the night. Slightly concerned, Alex made him promise to keep their names out of the papers. "So much for a relaxing night out," Cat murmured. Kara grinned, and kissed her again.

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The CatCo Orlando story the next morning explained that off-duty law enforcement officers had spotted a gunman and managed to secure the weapon without anyone getting hurt. There were no photos of the heroes, who reportedly preferred to remain anonymous. A quote from the owner explained that he'd had no idea of the threat until the gun was brought to him. Without the help of these officers, he explained, the nightclub could easily have experienced the same tragedy as they had seen at Pulse the week before. "Remind me to never go anywhere with you people. It's too dangerous," Winn opined. Lucy rolled her eyes.

That day, the group was heading to Universal Studios. Kara had informed everyone that they weren't leaving until she saw everything that was even slightly connected to Harry Potter. Twelve hours later, she and Carter had managed to buy robes and wands, drink Butterbeer, ride the Hogsmeade Express, and eat at The Leaky Cauldron. In addition, they had ridden every thrill ride in the park. Carter was gushing about Spiderman and the Transformers ride. "I felt like I was in a cartoon! Like they landed on the car, and I felt the thump, and when we fell off that building…"

Winn moaned. "Don't remind me. But the worst was that big red roller coaster where we headed straight upward, with the blasting music. I think I blacked out after that."

Kara grinned. "Yeah, that was pretty awesome too."

Winn just shook his head in disbelief.

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Soon enough, the week was ending. They would spend the morning back at the Magic Kingdom, and then leave for the plane ride home. Kara insisted on stopping at virtually every store, of course. "Come on, Kara," Cat said, feigning impatience. She led the group to Cinderella's castle, where once again the princess was waiting. This time, however, the princess walked up to Kara. "Kara Danvers?" she inquired.

"Um…yes?" Kara answered hesitantly.

"I have something for you." She handed Kara a small box.

Kara's mouth fell open. "Wha…" she began, unable to articulate anything else.

Cat smiled, and moved in front of Kara. "Usually, when someone gives you a present, you start by opening it." She knelt in front of the superhero, and opened the box. "Kara Zor El Danvers, from the first moment I met you, I knew you were special. But I had no idea how much you would change me. You have opened my heart in ways I couldn't even imagine. You've made me a better person, and I will spend the rest of my life trying to be worthy of your love. I can't imagine my life without you anymore, and I don't want to. Will you spend the rest of your life with me, Kara? Will you marry me?"

Tears were running down Alex's and Lucy's faces. Carter and Linda were grinning widely. Winn was slightly shocked, but not nearly as much as he would have been two weeks earlier. James was frantically snapping photos, trying to capture the moment.

Kara grabbed Cat in a hug so tight that she whirled the mogul right off the ground. Perhaps she even floated for a second or two, but everyone else was careful not to notice that. She met Cat's lips in a kiss that she hoped would convey the depth of her emotion. Eventually, they ended the kiss, with Cat gasping for air. "Yes, Cat! Of course yes!" They hugged tightly, tears streaming down both women's cheeks.


	29. Chapter 29

It was time to finally end the secrecy. During the flight home, Lucy had sat with Cat and Kara to work out a plan. By the end of the flight, Cat had contacted Eddie, the features editor, and informed him that she no longer felt objective enough to make decisions about Kara's career. She placed all determinations regarding promotions and salary into his hands. Eddie knew that the two had become close friends, so he wasn't particularly surprised by Cat's decision. In any case, Kara was an outstanding writer and a devoted worker, so he doubted there would ever be an issue. When Cat talked with the head of HR, they were relieved to hear that these safeguards were already in place.

They would need to break the news to the public about their relationship as soon as possible, and CatCo's newspaper seemed like the logical way to do it. James would work on a photo spread that illuminated their love for each other – he assured the couple that his only challenge would be narrowing down the multitude of great pictures. There would also need to be an article, and they all agreed that neither Cat nor Kara could write it. Everyone was shocked, however, when Lucy offered her services.

"Lucy, you're a lawyer, not a journalist. Are you sure this is something you're comfortable with?"

"Come on Cat, I've written things before, and they're not all as boring as legal briefs. I hate to mention it, but there is some writing talent in my family. Writing about the love between the two of you – that's easy."

Cat reluctantly agreed to let Lucy write the article, as long as they could edit it together. By the end of the plane ride, Lucy had typed up a rough draft, and Cat acknowledged that it was already fantastic. "Why, exactly, did I let you go?" she asked Lucy, who just smiled.

Finally, Cat needed to break the news to the board of directors before the article was published. When she gathered the board members in a conference call, she was surprised to see that no one was particularly upset by the news. One woman mused, "I wondered why you had waited so long to promote Kara. She was far too talented to be your assistant for so long. It makes sense now; you were hesitant to show any favoritism." Cat refrained from explaining that the two hadn't been together that long. She supposed the woman was correct anyway – she had overcompensated for her feelings by holding Kara back.

Another board member suggested that having exclusive photos of Cat's relationship with such a beautiful woman would surely boost sales, and encouraged them to include some large color photos. Cat had to stop herself from rolling her eyes at the man's priorities. Regardless of his reasoning, he was on her side.

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The two women walked into CatCo together the next morning, holding hands as they stepped off Cat's private elevator. Cat was not surprised to see most of her employees looking at them, but she was shocked by the warm smiles that they sent her way. Everyone knew and loved Kara, so Cat had expected to see some overprotective glares at the thought that she was taking advantage of the sweet young woman. But they had all seen the photos, and read the article. Everyone knew that this was no office fling. The two women were obviously in love, and they could see that Kara had brought out a softer side of Cat. They were pleased that their brash, confident, and kind-hearted boss had finally found someone who made her happy.

As Kara turned to head toward her office, Cat caught her arm, and pulled her in for a long, passionate kiss. In response to the wolf whistles, she snapped, "Get to work! I don't pay you to stand around admiring my fiancée." She smiled gently at Kara, and then added, "Even if she is beautiful." Kara turned bright red, but smiled happily.

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There was one more surprise waiting for Cat when she returned to her office from a lunch meeting. Adam was standing there, looking slightly uncomfortable. Cat froze, not quite sure how to react to his presence.

Adam broke the silence. "Cat, I came to apologize. I didn't give you and Kara a chance. I thought I knew what was going on, and I didn't allow you to show me how wrong I was. I saw the pictures, and read the article. This is real, isn't it?"

Cat opened her mouth to respond, and then changed her mind. She stepped toward Adam, and hugged him. "Thank you," she whispered. "Thanks for believing in me."

"Cat, we've both made mistakes. After all you've done to make me a part of your life again, I owed it to you to give you a chance, and I didn't. I hope you'll let me make it up to you."

Cat smiled. "I'd love that, Adam."

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"Kara, stop pacing. You're going to wear a hole in the carpet."

"Sorry," the hero said, embarrassed. "I just… want everything to be perfect."

"Mom, she's just anxious. You know how Kara gets. She'll be fine as soon as Eliza is here."

Cat smiled. She, too, was nervous, but she couldn't help being charmed by Kara's antics. She stepped forward and kissed Kara, soothing the woman with her touch. She felt Kara relax, little by little, at Cat's loving embrace.

Just then, the doorbell rang. Kara sprang out of Cat's arms, and ran to open the door. There stood Alex, Lucy, and Eliza. Eliza wrapped Kara into a tight hug, murmuring, "It's so good to see you!" She kissed Kara's cheek, and then stepped into the room behind Alex and Lucy.

Cat stepped forward. "Eliza, it's such a pleasure to finally meet you. Kara has told me so much about you." She held out a hand to welcome Kara's foster mother. Instead, Eliza bypassed the hand and pulled the woman into a hug. "Welcome to the family," Eliza said, smiling.

Cat was shocked by the warm welcome. She had worried that Eliza would be reluctant to accept her, or even outright reject her. Eliza sensed her surprise, and pulled back to look at Cat. "You make her so happy, Cat. That's all that matters. And if Alex thinks you're good enough for Kara, you must be pretty amazing."

Cat smiled widely, and Eliza could see the relief in her eyes. "Eliza, I'd like you to meet my son Carter," she said, gesturing toward her son. Carter mumbled a greeting, not quite meeting her eyes.

Eliza smiled. "Carter, the man of legend. Alex can't stop talking about you. Apparently you're the only one who's actually interested in her research."

Carter looked up at her. "Well, she's into some pretty cool stuff. Alien physiology is fascinating."

Eliza nodded. "I know. We're in the same field."

"Really?"

"Where do you think she got it from?" She grinned. "Would you like to hear about what I'm working on?" Carter nodded excitedly, and the two headed off to geek out over science.

Cat shook her head. "How do you do that?" she asked Kara. "Everyone in your family connects with Carter instantly."

Kara grinned. "It's not that hard. He's a pretty great kid."

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They were married in a small ceremony on the beach. All of their friends and family were there, along with a few CatCo employees and other acquaintances. To everyone's surprise, Cat had insisted on inviting Lois, even before Kara could reveal that Lois was married to her cousin. "I want her to see that my spouse is hotter than hers," Cat explained. Kara blushed and shook her head.

When Eliza led Kara down the aisle, Cat felt her heart stop at the gorgeous sight in front of her. The vision of Kara in a white bridal gown was enough to make anyone feel faint. Cat couldn't believe that the beautiful woman was hers, and she vowed to spend the rest of her life making sure that Kara never regretted her choice. Kara, for her part, stared in awe at the brilliant, gorgeous, captivating woman who could have anyone, but had somehow chosen her. Neither woman heard a word of the ceremony, as they stared into each other's eyes with all of the love that they felt. When they kissed to conclude the ceremony, neither one wanted to let go.

When at last they had been left alone for the evening, the two women grabbed desperately for one another. All day, Cat had thought about peeling that dress off of her beautiful wife, and Kara had longed to put her hands all over Cat's soft skin. Cat murmured, "I am going to kiss every inch of that perfect body and touch you until you beg me for more. I'm going to make you scream my name as you come, over and over again. I'm going to make you forget that anything else in the world even exists except my touch. I'm going to make you mine, all mine."

Kara smiled. "Promise?" she asked hopefully.

Cat proceeded to follow through on every one of those promises.


End file.
